The scholarship, which provides financial assistance to talented and deserving students enrolled at the IUP
Academy of Culinary Arts, recognizes Cassandra’s
outstanding academic performance and her exemplary service to the culinary
profession, the community, and the university.

A graduate of Chestnut Ridge High School in Schellsburg,
Pennsylvania, and the Bedford County Technical Center in Everett, Pa.,
Cassandra entered the Academy of Culinary Arts in fall 2016.

After completing two semesters of advanced pastry training, she will finish the program requirements with a semester of industry experience in a paid externship at
the Broadmoor resort, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The Tony and Emma Recupero Memorial Scholarship was established by family to “honor
Tony and Emma Ricupero, whose lives embodied the ethos of the food service
industry—hard work, quality service, customer satisfaction, and service to the
community.”

Tony and Emma Ricupero opened the doors of the Rustic
Lodge on July 5, 1945. Involved in every aspect of the Rustic Lodge, from
clearing the wooded lot for their business to making the tomato sauce, baking
the breads and pastries, and sewing tablecloths, they devoted their life to their family and their business,

Their time and efforts helped
grow the business into the prominent and beloved institution that it is today.

]]>Culinary Instructor Barnes Completes Ice Carving Traininghttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=242356&blogid=3403
Marilyn R. Kukula2017-07-07T17:08:31ZAs the end of the spring semester was heating up for the students, one Academy of Culinary Arts faculty member was cooling things down at an ice carving “boot camp.”

Barnes and eight other carvers honed their ice carving skills by completing four different carvings.

On day one, the attendees carved a bottle rack/holder and a koi fish. Carving assignments on the second day of camp included a Doberman Pinscher and a swan.

Each day of carving was progressively harder and more challenging, requiring the precise use of many different techniques. The carvers worked intently, striving for flawless execution of the methods and skills taught in class.

Barnes, an IUP alumnus in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, has been a culinary instructor in the Department of Culinary Arts since January of 2016.

Currently teaching Advanced Baking and Pastries for the summer semester, Chef Barnes is also co-advisor of the Academy’s Ice Carving Club. During the regular academic year, in addition to his regular culinary teaching assignment, he teaches carving and supervises the carving work of students in the ice carving club. He plans on sharing the techniques he learned at the boot camp with the club members to enhance their technical skills.

The Toque Day ceremony recognized the academic accomplishments of 30 students
who have completed the classroom requirements of the Baking and Pastry Arts program
and are preparing to travel across the country to begin their externship positions.

Timothy Joyner-Matz, a 2014 alumnus of the Culinary Arts and
Baking and Pastry Arts program, gave the recognition address. Currently lead
baker for the New Orleans Marriott, Chef Joyner-Matz began as an extern at the
property located in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. He is responsible for preparing and baking bread for all Marriott food
outlets in New Orleans.

Speaking passionately about his experience in the classroom and
the kitchen, Joyner-Matz advised students to take advantage of volunteering to gain
experience and learn something new, and to keep in constant contact with each
other.

He recommended working with patience, perseverance, and
dedication and assured students, “You have received the best schooling from two
of the most talented pastry chefs. You all deserve to be where you are
today."

"Work hard and good things will come. We all look forward to hearing of your accomplishments and I hope to see some of you at
Mardi Gras in the future!”

Interim Dean of the College of Health and Human Services, Mary
Williams, Culinary Arts Department Chair, Lynn Pike, and Chef Instructor Hilary
DeMane also offered congratulations and inspirational remarks from the platform.
The student speaker, Megan Stonebreaker shared some humorous moments in the
life of a baking student.

Here are a few highlights of the Baking and Pastry Arts class
of 2017:

30 students completed both the Culinary Arts and
Baking and Pastry Arts programs

Students will be begin externship positions at 10
different sites in six states

93 percent of the class received perfect or
excellent attendance

83 percent of the class received recognition for
making the Dean’s List

Please join us in congratulating the Baking and Pastry Arts class
of 2017.

]]>Chefs and Students Cook-off for Local Food Pantryhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=236467&blogid=3403
]]>Mr. Bruce V. Dries2017-02-21T21:20:21ZJoin us as culinary faculty and student teams face-off in a cooking show-style competition. Sponsored by the Escoffier Club at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts and Aramark, this fun-filled culinary event will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 25, in the IUP Punxsutawney Learning
Center. Cost of admission is the donation of a
nonperishable food item.

Similar to the Food Networks’ Chopped
show, culinary teams will compete against one another to prepare a spectacular,
three-course meal consisting of an appetizer, entree, and dessert. The
catch? In each round, they have to use all the ingredients provided to them in a “mystery” basket. The teams do not know what items are in the basket prior to the day of competition.

Teams made up of culinary and baking students will be led by faculty members Martha Jo Rupert, Jaclyn
Steele, Melinda McIsaac, and Thomas Barnes.

No cooking competition is complete without a judging panel, and, this year, we are pleased to announce that our judges will include four IUP alumni:

Jonathan Nagy ’03, culinary arts instructor at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The judges will taste and award points for each course and finish up with a final round of judging to determine the winning team.

Come watch and cheer for our students and faculty as they compete. (Did we mention the teams will be sharing samples of their competition menu items with the audience?)

]]>Students and Faculty Featured at Allegheny Outdoor Sport and Travel Showhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=235975&blogid=3403
]]>Mr. Bruce V. Dries2017-02-15T17:55:31ZStudents and faculty from the Academy of Culinary Arts will join Chef Albert Wutsch as featured exhibiters at the 32nd annual Allegheny Outdoor, Sport, and Travel Show at the Monroeville Convention Center on Saturday, February 18, 2017.

Wutsch, who retired from IUP last year and is interviewed in the recent article, “Combining thrill of the hunt, cooking,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, February 14, 2017, will present a wild game cooking and butchering seminar, while IUP students and chef instructors Thomas Barnes and Melinda McIsaac prepare and and serve venison chili samples.

For the donation of one dollar per tasting, event attendees can look forward to enjoying a delicious traditional style chili or a
southwest style chili, all made with venison donated by the nonprofit organization Hunters Sharing the Harvest.

The
Allegheny Outdoor, Sport, and Travel Show will match the
total donations raised by the chili cook-off, and all the proceeds will go back to HSH, “Pennsylvania’s charitable venison donation program for hunters who share their extra venison via a statewide network of participating butchers to food banks across Pennsylvania.

“HSH participating butchers, who are paid for their services through monetary donations, coordinate the meat deliveries and work with local food banks. The food banks redistribute the venison to more than 5,000 local food assistance provider organizations such as food pantries, missions, homeless shelters, Salvation Army facilities, and churches, as well as needy families.”

Chef Wutsch and IUP students and faculty look forward to sharing wild game cooking techniques and recipes and supporting the venison donation program. For more
information about the event, please visit the Allegheny Outdoor, Sport, and Travel Show.

Baking and Pastry Arts students and faculty from the
IUP Academy of Culinary Arts recently traveled to the steel city to enjoy a day of learning outside the traditional kitchen classroom.

Meandering through the streets of one of Pittsburgh’s cultural areas known as the
Strip District, students began their field trip admiring a vast array of sweet and savory ingredients and foods available in the many retail outlets and restaurants in the area. International grocery stores, artisan bakeries, and specialty chocolate stores were among the
locations the students visited. Several students even headed for the original
Primanti Brothers, where they devoured what they described as the “best breakfast sandwich in the world.”

After lunch, the students were taken on a guided tour through the 1.5-million-square-foot convention center building by Chef Metcalfe, who has been with Levy Restaurants (the restaurant company that manages the food service operations at the convention center) since it opened in 2003.

Chef pointed out many of the building’s environmental features and explained how she and her culinary team have contributed toward the convention center earning Gold and Platinum certifications by the
U.S. Green Building Counsel.

A highlight of the tour was walking through the Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom, the largest ballroom in Pittsburgh. The ballroom encompasses over 31,000 square feet and, when full for a banquet, Chef Metcalf and her team prepare and serve 2,200 appetizers, entrees, and desserts!

The tour concluded with a rooftop visit to Chef Metcalf’s herb garden, and an opportunity to take in spectacular city views overlooking the Allegheny River.

]]>Culinary Ice Carvers Celebrate Groundhog Dayhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=234577&blogid=3403
Matthew Burglund2017-02-01T18:01:11ZIce
carving is cold, wet and tiring work. But can we share with you that it is also
fun? IUP Academy of Culinary Arts students were excited to create ice carvings
featuring Punxsutawney
Phil emerging from
Gobbler’s Knob to greet his visitors.

On
Phil’s right side, representing six more weeks of winter, are six ice pillars
holding finely detailed snowflakes. To Phil’s left, six daisy-topped ice
pillars represent an early spring prognostication.

In
addition to the ice display in front of the Academy of Culinary Arts, for the second
year in a row, IUP students were proud to create the ice carvings placed on stage
at Gobbler’s Knob.

Culinary
Arts faculty member Martha J. Rupert has served as the club advisor for 19
years. She welcomed new faculty member Thomas Barnes as co-advisor last year.

A
student organization sponsored by the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, the Ice
Carving Club is open to all culinary and baking students. The club carves for
all culinary admissions’ open houses and many community events including the Ebensburg
Dickens of a Christmas and the Brookville Victorian Christmas Celebration.

Students
who participate in the club learn introductory carving skills and have the
opportunity to progress to intermediate ice sculpting by the end of the first
year.

The
club was first organized in 1992 by Culinary Arts alumnus Jeremy Critchfield ’93. Today,
the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts is one of a limited number of culinary schools
in the United States to offer ice carving instruction.

In the hospitality industry,
the ability to carve an ice sculpture for that special occasion or the holiday
buffet table sets a job applicant apart from the competition. The carving experience
gained through the IUPACA Ice Carving Club provides culinary graduates an edge
in the job market.

The
IUP Academy of Culinary Arts was opened in 1989 and is fully accredited by the
American Culinary Federation. The academy’s programs are recognized nationally
for high quality, and graduates are working in four- and five-diamond resorts
and restaurants all across the nation.

]]>Culinary Faculty and Staff Awarded Certifications and Appointmentshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=233938&blogid=3403
]]>Mr. Bruce V. Dries2017-01-24T14:53:43ZPlease join the
Academy of Culinary Arts in congratulating faculty and staff who recently earned professional certifications and appointments from the American Culinary Federation and the National Restaurant Association.

From the American Culinary Federation:

Certified Executive Chef

The CEC designation was awarded to Culinary Arts faculty members and alumni:

Thomas Barnes, Culinary Arts and Baking/Pastry ’07, ’10

Melinda McIsaac, Culinary Arts ’05, ’07, M’15

The CEC certification identifies chefs who have demonstrated a level of culinary competence and expertise through their education, work experience, culinary knowledge, and skills that is consistent with the executive chef level.

Certified Culinary Educator

Certified culinary educators are advanced-degree culinary chef professionals with industry experience who have demonstrated a standard of culinary competence and expertise through education, experience, knowledge, and skills consistent with the postsecondary culinary educator level.

Chef Pike will participate in visits to post-secondary institutions to determine whether programs meet or exceed the standards of quality set by the ACFEF Commission. Accreditation is based on the successful outcome of the on-site evaluation.

Food Management Professional

FMP certification “recognizes exceptional managers and supervisors who have achieved the high level of knowledge, experience, and professionalism that is most valued by the restaurant industry.”

The
American Culinary Federation is the “leading industry association in North America among chefs and restaurateurs.” The Academy of Culinary Arts is accredited through the ACF Education Foundation, and all academy programs are designated Exemplary.

]]>Culinary Academy Celebrates Class of 2016https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=223240&blogid=3403
]]>Mr. Bruce V. Dries2016-08-15T19:38:31ZOn Saturday, August 6, the Academy of Culinary Arts honored 82 culinary students at the annual
Acceptance of the Toque Ceremony.

Highlights of awards received by the students include: 45 percent received Dean’s List honors, having earned a GPA of 3.25 or higher; and 62 percent earned perfect or excellent attendance, having not missed more than two days of class.

All of the students participating in the ceremony have completed three semesters of
culinary arts coursework at the Academy. 52 students will complete the culinary program at an externship site
beginning in a couple of weeks.

The remaining 30 students will stay for an additional
two semesters, to specialize in Pastry Arts, before embarking on
externship.

Overall, the culinary students will travel to seven
different states and more than 20 externship locations. Many of the students will complete their externship
at four- and five-star or diamond locations, including:

During his address, Chef DeMarco shared stories from his years
of industry experience and advised the students on what it takes to be
successful in the industry.

Chef reminded the graduates that there are no short cuts and
they will have to pay their dues. He
encouraged the students to build a resume that reflects dedication, and also
advised to “apply for promotions, even if you think you’re not ready. What you will learn during the interview
process will surprise you.” Chef also
encouraged the students to continue to study, because it is important to know
the current trends of the industry. It
is also one of the first questions Chef asks a potential demi chef or sous chef
during an interview!

DeMarco closed his address by reminding the students that this
career will give you the opportunity to travel, eat at some of the best
restaurants in the world, and build relationships with beloved colleagues and
friends that understand what it is like and the dedication it takes to become a
chef.

To the class of 2016, Bon Appetite!

]]>2016 Baking and Pastry Students of IUP’s Academy of Culinary Arts Complete Externshipshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=220793&blogid=3403
Mr. Bruce V. Dries2016-05-26T19:30:09ZThe following students of the baking and pastry academy at Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s
Academy of Culinary Arts are currently completing studies at the academy with a professional externship.

The academy, located in Punxsutawney, is fully accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission (ACFEFAC) and has been designated an Exemplary Program. Exemplary Programs have attained the highest educational standards recognized by the ACFEFAC. These accredited programs have
met or exceeded published industry standards and are distinguished from hundreds of other post-secondary culinary programs in the nation.

]]>Culinary Faculty Advance Expertise at Ice Carving Seminarhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=218997&blogid=3403
]]>Mr. Bruce V. Dries2016-04-14T15:54:40ZHow does a chef instructor learn about new or advanced ice
carving techniques? One possibility is to enlist in Ice Carving Boot Camp, like Culinary
Arts faculty members Martha Jo Rupert and Thomas Barnes did on April 9 and 10,
2016, at Elegant Ice Creations in Broadview Heights, Ohio.

In addition to training ice and wood sculptors, Elegant Ice
Creations is an ice carving company that competes in carving competitions all
over the country and sells carvings, ice, and all the necessary tools.

During the seminar, Rupert and Barnes were each tasked with
carving progressively more difficult pieces, including the Double Hearts, a
trout, an eagle, and a ram.

All the pieces were carved primarily using power tools with
little chisel work. Both chefs learned new techniques using burr grinders,
power sanders, end mills, and different v-bits.

Rupert and Barnes are co-advisors for the Academy of
Culinary Arts Ice Carving Club. Their Boot Camp experience provided them with a
plethora of information that they plan to pass on to Academy of Culinary Arts students
through the Ice Carving Club.

]]>Chefs and Students Making it Easy at Indiana’s Cookin’https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=218729&blogid=3403
Culinary Arts faculty and students cooked up delicious recipes for Indiana’s Cookin’ on April 5, 2016, sponsored by the Indiana Gazette.]]>Mr. Bruce V. Dries2016-04-11T17:43:20ZOn April 5, 2016, Culinary Arts faculty and students partnered with the Department of Food and Nutrition to present Indiana’s Cookin’.

Eleven baking and pastry students, along with faculty members John Kapusta and Anthony Battaglia, participated on the culinary team.

Indiana’s Cookin’ is sponsored by the Indiana Gazette to benefit the Indiana Community Action Program’s (ICAP) food bank. The event raised $16,000 and provided plenty of cooking and nutritional tips for the audience.

This year’s theme, “Making It Easy,” featured recipes that were not only flavorful, but could also be made quickly and easily.

The show’s theme developed after organizers asked, “What do chefs make at home?” The assumption was chefs make the same elaborate dishes at home that they teach every day in class and make on the job.

Sharing that chefs are all about making things easy at home, Chef Kapusta stressed that they still like to eat good tasting food as well.

The “Making It Easy” recipes focused on breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert items that could be made simply, with few ingredients, and great flavor.
Con Yeager Spice Company, a long-time
Academy of Culinary Arts supporter, provided spices that flavored some of the dishes and were recommended in the recipes.

The culinary team finished up with Baking and Pastry instructor Chef Anthony Battaglia demonstrating the art of making truffles. Battagalia suggested that the audience consider giving truffles as gifts for holidays or special occasions.

]]>Alumna Named Featured Chef at James Beard Foundation for Third Timehttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=216188&blogid=3403
]]>Marilyn R. Kukula2016-02-25T15:09:20ZChef Kristin Butterworth, a 2001
graduate of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, appeared for the third time at the James Beard
Foundation in New York City on February 2 to prepare a
special five-course dinner.

Chef Butterworth, chef de cuisine
at Lautrec, the fine-dining style restaurant at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in
Farmington, Pa., was honored to receive the invitation and said that she
“hope[s], in a small way, it inspires females in this industry.”

Culinarians already have reason to be
inspired by Butterworth, who is the youngest and only female chef to run a
Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond award-winning restaurant.

Butterworth completed her externship at
the Boulders Resort in Arizona after finishing her culinary studies at
IUP. From there, she began working at a
privately-owned Italian restaurant, Luigi’s, before accepting her first
position at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in 2003.

After leaving Nemacolin Woodlands in 2005, Butterworth spent time
working at both the Sea Island Resort in Georgia and the Inn at Little
Washington before returning to Nemacolin Woodlands in her current role in
2010.

That same year, Butterworth received her
first invitation to perform at the James Beard Foundation, with the second
invitation coming in 2012.

According to the Herald Standard, Butterworth said, regarding her recent invitation, "I felt nervous because it was my third time, it was a bigger deal. But it went better than I ever imagined."

The menu for the event, designed by Chef Butterworth, featured chilled squash soup, buckwheat-goat
pierogi, and grass-fed wagyu beef among other menu items.

Special dinner events, like the event featuring Butterworth, are designed to support the James
Beard Foundation’s mission to “educate, inspire, entertain, and foster a deeper
understanding of our culinary culture,” according the organization’s website.

During events, guests are welcome to walk
through the kitchen and participate in a question and answer session with the
chef following dinner. Samantha Brown ('13), an IUP culinary and baking and pastry alumna, assisted with the event.

]]>Culinary Teams to Compete for Food Drivehttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=215857&blogid=3403
]]>Mr. Bruce V. Dries2016-02-23T14:41:45ZJoin us on Saturday, February 27, 2016 at the IUP Punxsutawney
campus for an exciting culinary “Chopped”-style competition.

You’ll enjoy the show as student and faculty teams from the Academy of Culinary Arts compete
to transform a “mystery basket” of ingredients into a winning menu of appetizer,
entrée, and dessert.

Chef Anthony Battaglia will serve as Master of Ceremonies, while fellow chef instructors Thomas Barnes, Jaclyn Price, Martha Jo Rupert, and
Jeffrey Santicola will lead teams of four culinary students in the quest
to create a dinner for six people within two hours.

Each team will be responsible for menu planning, prepping food, and cooking as well as completing a series of surprise challenges during the
competition.

Judges will evaluate plate presentation,
sanitation, time management, use of ingredients, creativity, and taste. This year’s judging panel includes:

Aramark and the IUP Culinary Arts Escoffier Club are the
sponsors for this event, which will kick off at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February
27, in the IUP Punxsutawney Learning Center cafeteria.

Cost of admission is donation of a nonperishable food item to
the campus food drive for the local food bank.

]]>Culinary Grad Named to Zagat 30 Under 30https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=208192&blogid=3403
]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2015-11-18T16:59:07ZCory Seeker, a 2010 graduate of the Academy of Culinary Arts,
is among a group of young culinary innovators selected for this year’s Zagat 30
Under 30 Boston.

Zagat describes these honorees as “game changers [who] are
redefining the way we eat, drink and interact with food and beverages across
the U.S.—all before their 30th birthdays.”

Currently chef de cuisine at Trade in Boston and passionate
about his work, Cory was nominated for the Zagat 30 Under 30 honor by a co-worker at the
restaurant, which features international-inspired cuisine.

A graduate of Warren Area High School and the Warren County
Career Center in Warren, Pa., Cory completed the Culinary Arts program at Indiana
University of Pennsylvania with high honors and graduated from IUP after
completing his culinary externship at the prestigious Ocean Reef Club in Key
Largo, Florida.

A move to New England to take a position at Winslow’s Tavern
on Cape Cod followed his successful season at Ocean Reef. In 2011, he was offered
the opportunity to work with James Beard award-winning chef Jody Adams as a
prep cook at the (then) newly opened Trade restaurant. He’s been moving forward along with the
restaurant ever since.

There were early hints of the culinarian-to-be, including
this bit from his college admissions essay where he wrote about his after
school restaurant job: “I love the feeling I get from knowing that I did the
best job I could­—from planning and preparing the food, to the smiles,
handshakes and empty plates at the end of the night.” Further, a recommendation from his school
counselor described him as “a leader in his Food Production and Management
classes.”

It comes as no surprise that Cory Seeker has continued to
work hard, utilizing his leadership skills and creativity to satisfy guests. The Academy of Culinary Arts congratulates Cory on his success.

Chef Ricchi shared secrets about Italian cooking learned
over many years, some going back to his grandmother’s time in the Tuscan
village of Cercina.

A prominent chef and restaurateur in the Washington, D.C. area,
Chef Francesco (“Cesco”) Ricci has received numerous awards, including Chef of
the Year (Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington), Best Newcomer
(Washingtonian Magazine), Best Italian Restaurant (Washingtonian Magazine), Best
New Restaurant in the United States (Esquire Magazine), Top Twenty-Five
Restaurants in North America (Food and Wine Magazine), Washington Post’s 50
Very Best Restaurants, and Zagat Restaurant Award of Distinction.

The Ricchi family began their business in Italy in 1929 with
the opening of a “small grocery store and trattoria.” It was this business that
years later a young “Cesco” turned into his first successful restaurant. Chef
Ricci brought his classic Italian style cooking to the D.C. area in 1989 with the
opening of Ristorante i Ricchi. Recognizing the demand for a larger restaurant
space, he opened the Cesco Osteria and
Co2 Lounge in 2011.

Workshop participants devoured culinary recipes, new techniques, and plated dishes for a full day. They enjoyed a lunch of penne pasta with garden vegetables and a house-made Sicilian sausage prepared by culinary students in the Advanced Garde
Manger class.

Ryan Peters ’14, Culinary Arts alumnus, is one of only 16 finalists selected from across the United States to compete in the 2015 Ment’or Young Chef Competition.

Sponsored by Ment’or, a nonprofit organization which promotes culinary excellence in young professionals, the Young Chef Competition
is “designed to help find up-and-coming culinary leaders, identify
future ambassadors for the culinary arts, and showcase the skill level
and cuisine in America.” The young chefs will compete for a top prize of $10,000.

Currently employed at the Ocean
Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida as a Cook 1,
Peters completed an extensive application process to earn the honor of being selected for the competition.

In addition to being between the ages of 22–27 years old with at least three years of work
experience, candidates were required to submit their resumes, four to five
photos of their culinary work, two letters of recommendation from their current
employer, and an essay describing why they would like to compete and what they
plan to do with the award.

Peters, who is scheduled to compete in
Chicago on September 17, will be asked to prepare a dish based on a protein
which will be announced six weeks in advance. A panel of judges, renowned chefs
from the BKB Foundation’s Culinary Council, will evaluate dishes based on
overall taste, presentation, and kitchen organization.

]]>Culinary Arts Alumni and Students Honored at HHS Ceremonyhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=193961&blogid=3403
Academy of
Culinary Arts graduates and students were among the award recipients at the Health and Human Services
25 th annual Awards Dinner held on April 30, 2015.
Culinary honorees recognized for their
outstanding professionalism and service to both the community and the culinary
profession included:
]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2015-06-02T16:07:55ZAcademy of
Culinary Arts graduates and students were among the award recipients at the Health and Human Services
25th annual Awards Dinner held on April 30, 2015.

Culinary honorees recognized for their
outstanding professionalism and service to both the community and the culinary
profession included:

Julie Mosesso ’06, recent alumna, Baking and Pastry Arts. Mosesso
is the corporate executive pastry chef for the Big Y Restaurant Group which
includes Sonoma Grill, Nola on the Square, Seviche, and Perlé in Pittsburgh.

Joshua Zimmerman ’14, young alumnus, Culinary Arts. Zimmerman completed his
externship and is working as a line cook at the Pinehurst Resort and Country
Club in Pinehurst, N.C. He plans to return to IUP in the fall to complete his
degree in Hospitality Management.

Megan Shreve ’14, young alumna, Baking and Pastry Arts.
Shreve also completed her externship at Pinehurst Resort and is currently
working as a pastry cook at the resort.

Juan Pablo Arce, spotlight current student, Culinary Arts.
Acre is finishing his final semester of classes at IUP ACA and has
accepted an offer to extern at the Boca Raton Resort and Club in Florida.

Nicholas Santmier, spotlight current student, Baking and Pastry
Arts. Santmier is currently completing his externship semester at the Pinehurst
Resort.

Faculty in the Department of Culinary Arts nominated and
selected the awardees on the basis of demonstrated excellence in the following
areas:

The Academy of Culinary Arts congratulates these award recipients for their success and continued dedication and commitment to the culinary profession.

]]>Alumna Washirapunya Emphasizes Passion for Career at Toque Ceremonyhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=193775&blogid=3403
Monique Washirapunya, baker, chef, and owner of Gateau Monique Bakery, was the featured speaker at the Baking and Pastry Arts Toque Day ceremony on Friday, May 8, 2015. Students, families, faculty, and staff commemorated the students’ successful completion of classroom work and celebrated the honor of accep]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2015-05-27T17:51:57ZMonique Washirapunya, baker, chef, and owner of Gateau Monique Bakery, was the featured speaker at the Baking and Pastry Arts Toque Day ceremony on Friday, May 8, 2015.

Students, families, faculty, and staff commemorated the students’ successful completion of classroom work and celebrated the honor of accepting the “toque” (chef hat) for the first time.

Washirapunya, a 1999 graduate of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, discussed the importance of being passionate about one’s career and how the chef instructors at IUP prepared her for working in the industry. “From the first day and the first minute, the chef instructors encouraged professionalism, being punctual, being prepared.”

Taking her chef instructors’ advice to heart, Washirapunya developed her culinary career, holding positions at the AAA Four-Diamond awarded Kingsmill Resort, L’Auberge Provencale, a AAA Four-Diamond awarded bed and breakfast, and Antrim 1844, an acclaimed Maryland restaurant, before starting her home-based cake business. Now, five years later, Gateau Monique has expanded to include wholesale desserts and a storefront location.

Washirapunya earned her bachelor degree in Business and Economics from McDaniel College in 2008 and has recently become a member of the Adams County Arts Council, where she teaches baking and pastry classes.

Her advice to the students in the audience: “Take everything in that you possibly can. Enjoy what you do. Be passionate. Learn. Grow. Keep learning.”

]]>Career Fair Brings Top Employers to Culinary Studentshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=190928&blogid=3403
Every class day from March 2 through March 27, 2015, IUP culinary students enjoyed site presentations and job interview opportunities with chefs and human resource representatives from some of the most prestigious employers in the nation.
Each of the employers scheduled a full day at the Academy o]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2015-04-01T16:02:40Z

Every class day from March 2 through March 27, 2015, IUP culinary students enjoyed site presentations and job interview opportunities with chefs and human resource representatives from some of the most prestigious employers in the nation.

Each of the employers scheduled a full day at the Academy of Culinary Arts promoting employment opportunities at their properties and
interviewing students for externship positions.

Culinary students interviewed with multiple employers and
were enthusiastic about their experience.

“I think it’s a really great opportunity to learn about
different sites that I would not have otherwise known about, and they actually
come here and want to interview me.” —Connor Huff, Kittanning, Pa.

“It says a lot about the program. We don’t have to worry about finishing school
and not having a job.” —Adeline Maio, Glenmoore, Pa.

“You won’t find this at any other school. They want to help you find a job and be
successful.” —Dazhia Clark, McKeesport, Pa.

In addition to learning about the culinary operations,
employment requirements, and benefits offered by each employer, culinary students
enjoyed hearing the visiting chefs talk about their personal careers and how
the decisions they made as young culinarians shaped their professional
development.

Employers who participated in the 2015 Academy of Culinary
Arts Sponsor Fair included:

]]>Chefs and Students Compete to Benefit Food Bankhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=190641&blogid=3403
Culinary competition, “Chopped” style, is coming to the IUP Punxsutawney campus on Saturday, March 28, 2015. Join us as culinary teams of
students and faculty compete to prepare a winning menu of appetizer, entrée, and
dessert. Faculty chef instructors Jaclyn Price, Martha Jo Rupert, and
Jeffrey Santicola and the]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2015-03-26T17:58:56ZCulinary competition, “Chopped” style, is coming to the IUP Punxsutawney campus on Saturday, March 28, 2015. Join us as culinary teams of
students and faculty compete to prepare a winning menu of appetizer, entrée, and
dessert.

Faculty chef instructors Jaclyn Price, Martha Jo Rupert, and
Jeffrey Santicola and their four-student teams will each unveil a mystery
basket of ingredients and create a dinner for six people from scratch within
two hours. Teams will be judged on plate presentation, sanitation, time
management, use of ingredients, creativity, and taste.

In addition to menu planning, prepping food, and cooking, the
teams will also be asked to complete a series of challenges during the competition.
Winners of each challenge will be awarded points toward their final team score.

]]>Biltmore Pastry Chef Gaston Returns to IUP for Wedding Cake Demohttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=184308&blogid=3403
A uniquely culinary homecoming by alumna Krista Gaston ’11 wowed
IUP Baking and Pastry students in October 2014.
Currently a demi pastry chef at Bistro, the fine dining restaurant on
the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., Gaston graduated from the culinary and baking programs at IUP in 2011. ]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2014-11-20T21:43:29ZA uniquely culinary homecoming by alumna Krista Gaston ’11 wowed
IUP Baking and Pastry students in October 2014.

Currently a demi pastry chef at Bistro, the fine dining restaurant on
the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., Gaston graduated from the culinary and baking programs at IUP in 2011.

After completing a baking externship at the Biltmore, Gaston was offered a permanent position as a cook 2 in Cedric’s Tavern. She was then promoted first to the position of demi chef at Deerpark,
the buffet/banquet venue on the estate, and most recently to the demi pastry chef position at Bistro.

Gaston returned to the Academy of
Culinary Arts in October to share her cake decorating expertise with IUP baking and pastry students. Over a span of eight hours,
the students watched
her assemble and decorate an exquisite multi-tiered wedding cake.

Using a wide array of specialty tools, Chef Gaston demonstrated
the carving of the pumpkin layer and application of the buttercream crumb coat
and finish layer of fondant icing on the cake.

Students were impressed by Gaston’s attention to detail on
everything from the air temperature in the kitchen to the number of tools and
techniques used to complete the cake design.

Most students had previously only seen a specialty cake this
elaborate assembled on a television food show (their wedding cake course began
after Chef Gaston’s visit). They agree that “seeing the cake created on
television was not nearly the same as seeing a chef create the cake in person."

Students reported that watching
Gaston’s demonstration put into perspective how important time management is in the
life of a successful pastry chef and how much real work the television shows leave
out.

It was an enjoyable evening for all with many culinary tips, memories of favorite chef instructors, and stories of near catastrophes in the kitchen shared by chef and students alike.

]]>Chef Wutsch Is Guest on Gateway Oudoors Radiohttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=178431&blogid=3403
Certified executive chef and department
chairperson of the Academy of Culinary Arts, Albert Wutsch, will share his expertise on game
butchering and cookery on the Gateway Outdoors radio series on preparing venison from the field to the table. Listen to the show and hear radio host Charlie Burchfield interview C]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-08-28T19:18:19ZCertified executive chef and department
chairperson of the Academy of Culinary Arts, Albert Wutsch, will share his expertise on game
butchering and cookery on the Gateway Outdoors radio series on preparing venison from the field to the table.

Listen to the show and hear radio host Charlie Burchfield interview Chef Wutsch on preparing
and cooking venison properly. Learn how you, too, can create
basic and gourmet meals featuring wild game. The program airs on September 1,
2014, at 6;00 p.m. on WCED 1420 AM, 107.9 FM, and 96.7 FM.

A culinary educator who combines his mastery of cooking with
his passion for the great outdoors, Chef Wutsch is an expert on game cookery. He
regularly demonstrates cooking and butchering at major outdoor sporting shows,
including the National Pheasant Fest in Des Moines, Iowa, the Eastern Sports
and Outdoor Show, and the Great American Outdoor Show held at the Farm Show
Complex in Harrisburg, Pa.

Chef Wutsch has also cooked for professional outfitters in Montana
and for many hunting camps throughout the country. He teaches courses on game cookery across the
nation and has been a featured guest speaker for many sports shows and national
conventions such as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, National Wild Turkey
Federation, and the Great American Outdoor Show, the largest outdoor show in
North America.

Wutsch’s professional career includes over 30 years of
culinary and teaching experience. A faculty member at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania since 1991, he previously held the positions of department
chairperson and chef instructor for the University of Montana College of Technology and chef instructor at
the Florida Culinary Institute.

Actively involved with the National Restaurant Association
program ProStart, Wutsch judges culinary competitions for high school students at
the state and national levels and also coordinates and instructs ProStart
Summer Institute programs for high school instructors at the Academy of
Culinary Arts.

]]>Culinary Alumnus is Guest on NBC’s Today Showhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=177995&blogid=3403
Seth Adams, a 1998 graduate of the IUP Academy of Culinary
Arts and executive chef and co-owner of the Riverhorse on Main in Park City,
Utah, made a guest appearance on the Today Show on Monday, August 15, 2014. Chef Adams shared one of his favorite recipes, a delicious and simple crab cake with
avocado and c]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-08-21T18:10:46ZSeth Adams, a 1998 graduate of the IUP Academy of Culinary
Arts and executive chef and co-owner of the Riverhorse on Main in Park City,
Utah, made a guest appearance on the Today Show on Monday, August 15, 2014.

Chef Adams shared one of his favorite recipes, a delicious and simple crab cake with
avocado and corn relish.

A Pittsburgh native, Adams came to the Culinary Arts program
at IUP in 1996. Following his classwork on the culinary campus in Punxsutawney,
he accepted an externship position at Deer Lakes in Park City, Utah, which would
forever shape his professional career.

Banquet chef for Snow Park Lodge at Deer Valley, sous chef at
Morton’s Steak House in Chicago, executive sous chef at the Grand Summit in
Canyons, and executive chef at Riverhorse on the Green at the Hotel Park City are
positions Adams held as he developed his professional culinary career.

He was hired as executive chef at Riverhorse on Main in 2004
and purchased the business with a partner in 2011.

With a décor that is both stylish and contemporary, Riverhorse
on Main features an American menu with unique and creative entrée choices
ranging from Utah Red Trout with Pistachio Nut Crust to Trio of Wild Game
(with buffalo, venison, and elk) to Lemon Fetuccini Pasta Primavera and much,
much more.

Dedicated to providing excellent cuisine and outstanding
service, the Riverhorse is an award-winning restaurant. It was the first
restaurant in Utah to receive the DiRoNA Award recognizing “excellence in
dining” and has maintained this award every year since 1995. The restaurant is
also the recipient of a Forbes Four-Star
and a AAA Four-Diamond ranking.

]]>Glisan Awarded First Annual Chef Jeremy Critchfield Scholarshiphttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=177143&blogid=3403
Culinary Arts student Andrea Glisan is the first recipient of the Chef Jeremy Critchfield Scholarship. The annual $1,000 scholarship is sponsored by Critchfield, a 1993 graduate of the Academy of Culinary Arts and chef and operating partner of the historic Stonehouse Restaurant and Inn in Farmington, Pennsylva]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-07-31T19:52:16ZCulinary Arts student Andrea Glisan is the first recipient of the Chef Jeremy Critchfield Scholarship. The annual $1,000 scholarship is sponsored by Critchfield, a 1993 graduate of the Academy of Culinary Arts and chef and operating partner of the historic Stonehouse Restaurant and Inn in Farmington, Pennsylvania.

Glisan was awarded the scholarship in recognition of her superior performance, craftsmanship, professionalism, integrity, hard work, customer satisfaction, and quality service to the community.

A graduate of Laurel Highlands Senior High School in Uniontown, Pa., Glisan entered the culinary program in fall 2013. She has been on the Dean’s List every semester.

Following completion of the culinary summer semester at IUP, Glisan will continue her culinary education with a 600-hour, paid externship at the Stonehouse Inn under Chef Critchfield’s direction.

Jeremy Critchfield is an honors graduate of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. With a career that spans 25 years at five-star resorts across the nation, he is eager to create a great local dining experience that builds upon the rich tradition of the Stonehouse Inn, a national historic landmark located in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania.

A recipient of the IUP 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award, Critchfield has maintained close ties with IUP throughout his career. He speaks annually at the Academy of Culinary Arts Sponsor fair and has recruited many IUP culinary externs and grads to work in his culinary operations.

Following completion of her culinary coursework in August, Andrea Glisan will join the ranks of many successful IUP culinary students and alumni who have worked and learned under Chef Jeremy Critchfield.

]]>Culinary Admissions Visit Program Features Gourmet Buffetshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=176682&blogid=3403
There’s still time to visit IUP’s culinary campus this summer. Our Summer Weekday Buffet program on July 31, 2014, will give you the information you need about the culinary majors at IUP while you enjoy amazing sweet and savory dishes created by our culinary students. Have you ever had the chance to taste calamari ]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-07-21T15:53:48ZThere’s still time to visit IUP’s culinary campus this summer. Our Summer Weekday Buffet program on July 31, 2014, will give you the information you need about the culinary majors at IUP while you enjoy amazing sweet and savory dishes created by our culinary students.

Have you ever had the chance to taste calamari ceviche? Or lobster terrine? Imagine the familiar strawberry shortcake with a twist . . . a delicious
and unexpected contrast of sweet and savory ingredients. We’ll treat you to strawberries that have been soaked in a sweetened balsamic
vinegar on biscuits brushed with basil
-infused
simple syrup and topped with a rosette of lemon curd.

As an admissions guest at our Summer Weekday Buffet Tour, you will have the opportunity to sample these dishes and many other culinary creations from our Advanced Garde
Manger and Baking classes.

You’ll also have time to meet and talk to our students and faculty, take a tour of our campus, and get your admissions questions answered.

This program will serve you lots of information on how a culinary education at IUP can help you begin a satisfying career working with food.

]]>Zimmerman Awarded Ricupero Memorial–Rustic Lodge Scholarshiphttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=176525&blogid=3403
On July 14,
2014, the Tony and Emma Ricupero Memorial–Rustic Lodge Scholarship for $1,400 was awarded to Joshua Zimmerman, a student in the Culinary Arts program. The recipient of the scholarship is chosen each year based on academic performance, as well as service to the profession, the community, and the university. ]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2014-07-15T18:55:55ZOn July 14,
2014, the Tony and Emma Ricupero Memorial–Rustic Lodge Scholarship for $1,400 was
awarded to Joshua Zimmerman, a student in the Culinary Arts program.

The recipient of the scholarship is chosen each
year based on academic performance, as well as service to the profession, the
community, and the university.

Joshua, a graduate of Mars Area
High School in Mars, Pennsylvania, also attended Butler County Area Vocational-Technical
School before pursuing his passion for cooking at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts.

During his time at IUP, Joshua
has served as a student representative for the Escoffier Club, a student
organization that plans educational and recreational events for culinary
students. He is also employed by
Aramark, working in the Punxsutawney campus dining hall. As part of his studies, Joshua will complete
an externship at the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Joshua was also recently the
recipient of a $1,200 scholarship awarded by the Pennsylvania Restaurant
Association Educational Foundation, as well as a $1,000 High Achievers
Scholarship awarded to students based on academic merit, school and community
involvement, and commitment to the culinary industry.

The Rustic Lodge was opened in
1945 by Tony and Emma Ricupero, whose lives embodied the ethos of the food
service industry—hard work, quality service, customer satisfaction, and
service to the community.

In 2001, the Ricupero and Lubold families
established the memorial scholarship to honor Tony and Emma Ricupero and the
strong work ethics and commitment to excellence that three generations have
brought to the family business of full-service banquet facilities at the
Rustic Lodge.

]]>Culinary Arts Dean’s List, Spring 2014https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=176418&blogid=3403
Academy of Culinary Arts students are named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence when they achieve a GPA of 3.25 or higher. The Academy of Culinary Arts , in Punxsutawney, Pa., is one of only 112 culinary programs fully accredited by the American Culinary Federation, the maximum accreditation possible for pr]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-07-11T15:00:54ZAcademy of Culinary Arts students are named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence when they achieve a GPA of 3.25 or higher.

The Academy of Culinary Arts, in Punxsutawney, Pa., is one of only 112 culinary programs fully accredited by the American Culinary Federation, the maximum accreditation possible for programs in the United States. ACF-accredited programs meet or exceed published industry standards and, in so doing, are distinguished from hundreds of other postsecondary culinary programs.

Congratulations to these students on making the Dean’s List for the spring 2014 semester:

PENNSYLVANIA STUDENTS

Adams County

Abbottstown

Alexander Meckley: Culinary Arts

Allegheny County

Ambridge

Laura Hinzman: Culinary Arts

Coraopolis

Emily McConkey: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Pittsburgh

Shannon Blanc: Culinary Arts

Maximus Puluka

Tarentum

Megan Brenner: Culinary Arts

Wexford

Jenna Marweg: Culinary Arts

Armstrong County

Cowanville

Nathan Horrell: Culinary Arts

Freeport

Rhonda Fleming: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Beaver County

Freedom

Amy Shealy: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Monaca

Ashley Guyaux: Culinary Arts

Bedford County

Everett

Nicole Sheetz: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Berks County

Fleetwood

Joseph Fick: Culinary Arts

Reading

William Rouse

Bucks County

Holland

Mary Reitz: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Butler County

Butler

Melissa Brown: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Rachel Soergel: Culinary Arts

Brandon Long: Culinary Arts

Taylor Zanella: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Cranberry Township

Victoria Roenigk: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Mars

Joshua Zimmerman: Culinary Arts

Saxonburg

Emily Rodgers: Culinary Arts

Cambria County

Hastings

Abby Stanek: Culinary Arts

Carbon County

Lehighton

Haley Gower: Culinary Arts

Chester County

Berwyn

Brittany Birdsell: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Coatesville

Timothy Joyner-Matz: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Exton

Kelsey Hughes: Culinary Arts

Clarion County

Rimersburg

Ashley Fasenmyer: Culinary Arts

Clearfield County

Brisbin

Thomas Schroeder: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Houtzdale

Ariana Yaple: Baking/ Pastry Arts

New Millport

Michael Boal: Culinary Arts

Crawford County

Conneaut Lake

Ty Custard: Culinary Arts

Meadville

Andreana Bump: Culinary Arts

Taylor Faulds: Culinary Arts

Cumberland County

Enola

Corey Fake: Culinary Arts

Elk County

Johnsonburg

Sarah Becacqua: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Erie County

West Springfield

Jacob Trujillo: Culinary Arts

Fayette County

Union Town

Andrea Glison: Culinary Arts

Franklin County

Chambersburg

Cameron Bellows: Culinary Arts

Briana Mansberger: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Indiana County

Blairsville

Jessica Startari: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Indiana

Tiffanie Doyle: Culinary Arts

Jefferson County

Punxsutawney

Megan Kauffman: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Angel Poling: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Senovia Roberts: Culinary Arts

Lackawanna County

Scranton

Joseph Palmitessa: Culinary Arts

Lancaster County

Lancaster

Michael Elia: Culinary Arts

Delaney Marshall: Culinary Arts

Lawrence County

New Castle

Katie Dorr: Baking/ Pastry Arts

McKean County

Kane

Kyle McAlee: Culinary Arts

Mercer County

Jamestown

Jaimee Bellman: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Montgomery County

Willow Grove

Chelsea Butler: Culinary Arts

Elaina Leonardi: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Philadelphia County

Philadelphia

Kristin Konieczny: Culinary Arts

Somerset County

Windber

Robby Kornprobst: Culinary Arts

Tioga County

Tioga

Jesse Gorg: Culinary Arts

Destiny Sorge: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Warren County

Warren

Philip Dorn: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Amanda Wachowski: Culinary Arts

Westmoreland County

Murrysville

Jessica Tyner: Culinary Arts

Smithton

Patricia Black: Culinary Arts

OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS

Maryland

Allegany County

Cumberland

Lars Thureson: Culinary Arts

Harford County

Bel Air

Kiersten Airey: Culinary Arts

Texas

El Paso County

El Paso

Bradley Drake: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Virginia

Fairfax County

Reston

Kathryn Danaher: Baking/ Pastry Arts

Frederick County

Stephens City

Nicholas Santmier: Culinary Arts

]]>IUP Hosts ProStart Teachers from Across U.S. and Canadahttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=176139&blogid=3403
Culinary arts and family and consumer science teachers from Alabama,
California, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Mississippi, Ohio, and Ontario,
Canada, participated in the ProStart Summer Institute, Level I certification program at the IUP Academy of C]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2014-07-02T20:12:46ZCulinary arts and family and consumer science teachers from Alabama,
California, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Mississippi, Ohio, and Ontario,
Canada, participated in the ProStart Summer Institute, Level I certification program at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts June 22 through June 27, 2014.

Faculty member Chef
Albert Wutsch taught a curriculum in the National Restaurant Association-sponsored ProStart Summer Institute that covered these dishes as well as
stocks, soups, and sauces (including derivative
sauces such as bearnasie into Choron,
Foyot, and Rachael). The class also reviewed knife cuts, basic cooking concepts, methods and techniques, yields, ratios, and mise en
place.

A field trip to Stello Foods, a manufacturing and packing facility for special food products, and a stop at Punxsutawney Phil’s home turf, Gobblers Knob, added a little fun to the intense week of food-focused instruction.

Completion of the Level I workshop qualified the participants for continuing education credits and provided them with a wealth of information and new techniques to take back
to the classroom and convey to their high school students.

2014 is the third consecutive year that the Academy of Culinary Arts has been selected
to host and teach the teacher training class developed
by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

IUP is a proud to support the ProStart program. In addition to hosting the Summer Institutes, IUP offers scholarships to ProStart student competitors and judges culinary competition at the state and national levels. Read more about IUP and ProStart.

]]>IUP Alumna Earns Spot on “Hell’s Kitchen” Calendarhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=176011&blogid=3403
On the Fox Network hit series Hell’s Kitchen, Joy Parham-Thomas ’10 cooked her way onto the first ever Hell’s Kitchen calendar. Joy is an alumna of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts . The last seven contestants on Hell’s Kitchen were given a challenge to present a dish to Chef Gordon Ramsey and thr]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-06-27T16:14:03ZOn the Fox Network hit series Hell’s Kitchen, Joy Parham-Thomas ’10 cooked her way onto the first ever Hell’s Kitchen calendar. Joy is an alumna of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts.

The last seven contestants on Hell’s Kitchen were given a challenge to present a dish to Chef Gordon Ramsey and three Hell’s Kitchen alumni chefs. The alumni, along with Ramsey, judged the dishes and rated them on a scale of 1 to 5. The winner would earn the honor of having their dish as the featured recipe for the month of December on the show’s first calendar.

The judges concurred that the dish was aesthetically pleasing and the flavors were well balanced. All of the alumni judges gave the dish a perfect score of 5 points out of 5, and Chef Ramsey gave the dish 4 points out of 5. Chef Ramsey described the dish as delicious (higher praise than he gave any other contestant). Joy received the top score of 19 points; her closest competitor received a score of 13.

After winning the challenge, Joy also earned protection from the possibility of being eliminated from that night’s episode and had the chance to enjoy lunch with the alumni judges. Joy commented that receiving insight from the alumni during lunch gave her inspiration to continue on with the rigorous competition.

Joy has been a contestant in season 12 since its premier in March of 2014. The show began with 20 competitors. Joy has endured through each round and is one of six contestants still remaining as of the latest episode, which aired on June 26, 2014.

]]>IUP Alumna is Winner on Food Network’s “Chopped”https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=175920&blogid=3403
IUP Academy
of Culinary Arts alumna Lindsay McClain (Walsh) ’07 competed against three other
professional chefs on the Food Network’s Chopped . She appeared on the episode “Swai Not?” which aired for the first time on June 24, 2014. Lindsay was able to persevere through three rounds, winning the competition an]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-06-25T20:19:35ZIUP Academy
of Culinary Arts alumna Lindsay McClain (Walsh) ’07 competed against three other
professional chefs on the Food Network’s Chopped. She appeared on the episode “Swai Not?” which aired for the first time on June 24, 2014.

Lindsay was able to persevere through three rounds, winning the competition and taking
home a $10,000 prize. The judges commented on how great she utilized her
technical skills to plate beautiful dishes.

Chopped pits four chefs against the
clock and each other to make a dish, but the competitors do not know the ingredients
they have available to use until they open up their mystery baskets. The dishes are judged, and one chef is
eliminated at the end of each course.

Las Vegas
has also been home base for Lindsay at two different times in her career. She was
first employed by Emeril’s
New Orleans Fish House inside the MGM Grand in 2007, where she completed a paid externship
as part of the IUP Culinary Arts program. After graduating from the Academy of Culinary Arts, she returned to IUP
to complete a
bachelor of science in Hospitality Management.

Lindsay
returned to Las Vegas for the second time in 2009 to work with some of the same
chefs she met on her externship. In 2011, she moved to the Philadelphia area and began working as a
chef for two of Philadelphia’s most prominent entrepreneurs, Marcie Turney and
Valerie Safran, owners of Jamonera.

The
episode “Swai Not?” Featuring Lindsay McClain (Walsh) will re-air on Thursday,
July 3, at 8:00/7:00c and again on Sunday, July 6, at 7:00/6:00c.

]]>Culinary Arts Welcomes New Chef Instructorhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=175359&blogid=3403
Chef Instructor Jeff Santicola, MSEd, FMP, CCC is the newest addition to the Department of Culinary Arts. Jeff Santicola has more than 27 years of experience in the food service industry.
He is a member of the Lake Shore Chaine Des Rotisseurs and the Pittsburgh
Chapter of the American Culinary Federation and hol]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-06-16T15:34:02ZChef Instructor Jeff Santicola, MSEd, FMP, CCC is the newest addition to the Department of Culinary Arts.

Jeff Santicola has more than 27 years of experience in the food service industry.
He is a member of the Lake Shore Chaine Des Rotisseurs and the Pittsburgh
Chapter of the American Culinary Federation and holds numerous certifications
from the National Restaurant Association’s Education Foundation.

With degrees earned at Edinboro and Robert Morris universities, Chef Santicola’s educational background is from Western Pennsylvania. His industry background is diverse and ranges
from private ownership to corporate restaurant management.

Chef Santicola was born in Pittsburgh and has had the opportunity to
serve local communities for the majority of his career.

His past
accomplishments in education include serving as dean of Academic Studies and program
dean of Hotel Restaurant Management at Le Cordon Bleu’s Pennsylvania Culinary
Institute in Pittsburgh (PCIA).

Serving as the dean at PCIA afforded him the opportunity
to earn Employee of the Year in 2006 and High Achievers in 2007.

In 2008, he
became a director of Education for Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America at the
corporate office of Career Education Corporation; he was a valued member of their
Culinary Education Team.

After serving three years as director of Education/executive chef
at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago, he is happy to return
to his native home of Pennsylvania, serving students in the classrooms and kitchens
of the Academy of Culinary Arts in Punxsutawney.

]]>Keynote by Omni Bedford Springs Executive Chef Inspires Baking Students at Toque Ceremonyhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=174754&blogid=3403
Chef David
Noto, executive chef at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa, was the keynote speaker at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Baking and Pastry Arts Toque Ceremony on May 9, 2014. Over 350 guests, including 28 students and their families, faculty, staff, administrators, and friends, listened to Noto’]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-05-30T19:46:57ZChef David
Noto, executive chef at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa, was the keynote speaker at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Baking and Pastry Arts Toque Ceremony on May 9, 2014.

Over 350 guests, including 28 students and their families, faculty, staff, administrators, and friends, listened to Noto’s words of wisdom as he shared stories and advice from a food service career
that spans over two decades.

The Omni Bedford Springs Resort, located in Bedford, Pennsylvania, is a AAA Four-Diamond property as well as a national historic landmark. Chef David Noto is responsible for all
dining operations at the site, including six restaurants and food outlets,
as well as room service, banqueting, and special events.

Prior to taking the helm at Bedford Springs, Noto was executive chef of the AAA Four Diamond-rated Hilton Dallas Lincoln
Center for seven years. In addition, he has held the position of executive chef at the Petroleum Club in Fort Worth, executive sous chef of the Fairmont in San Francisco, banquet chef at the Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth, and garde
manger chef at the Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia. Chef Noto was a culinary instructor at the Art
Institute of Dallas from 2006 to 2010.

In addition to Chef Noto, the 2014 Baking Toque Ceremony featured student speakers Philip Dorn, Victoria Roenigk, and Jessica Startari. The students reflected on their two years of learning at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts and on the possibilities of what the future might bring for themselves and their fellow classmates.

The toque ceremony celebrates the students’ completion of their IUP classroom instruction and recognizes their accomplishments.

86 percent of the students made the dean’s list,
including two with 4.0 GPAs

Eleven
students received awards for perfect attendance

Eight students earned awards for
excellent attendance (missing less than two days)

Other awards received by the students
include Craftsmanship (for artistic skill in pastry production), Professional Growth
(marked improvement in academic and/or technical skill), and Professional
Character (exhibiting strong work habits, teamwork, and courtesy).

]]>IUP Alumnus Accepts Prestigious Award on Behalf of Culinary Teamhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=174392&blogid=3403
Chef Richard Harber (’96) accepted the American Culinary Federation’s Achievement of Excellence Award on behalf of the Food and Beverage Team at the Philadelphia Country Club.
Harber is the executive chef at the Philadelphia
Country Club and oversees all of the dining facilities.
The ACF Achievemen]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2014-05-21T19:02:38ZChef Richard Harber (’96) accepted the American Culinary Federation’s Achievement of Excellence Award on behalf of the Food and Beverage Team at the Philadelphia Country Club.

The ACF Achievement of Excellence Award recognizes food service establishments that exemplify a commitment to excellence. Chef Harber said, “It is a great honor to have been nominated for an award that symbolizes the hard work and dedication of everyone on our staff and proves that a positive attitude, great chemistry, and leadership can go a long
way in creating top-level cuisine.”

Michael Bauer (’07 ) joined Chef Harber as the new executive sous chef.

This is not the first time the two alumni have worked together. Chef Bauer has worked with Chef Harber before as a line cook at the
Duquesne Club and as a sous chef at the Butler Country Club.

The chef instructors at the
Academy of Culinary Arts stress the importance of building networks in order to become successful in the food service industry. The professional relationship between Chef Harber and Chef Bauer is a fine example of such a network.

]]>IUP Supports ProStart Programs to Develop Culinary Leadershttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=173512&blogid=3403
Sponsored by the National Restaurant
Association Education Foundation (NRAEF), ProStart is a nationwide program for high school students that combines education, competition, and industry experience to develop talented
students into future leaders in the food industry. ]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2014-05-01T18:14:24Z
Sponsored by the National Restaurant
Association Education Foundation (NRAEF), ProStart is a nationwide program for high
school students that combines education, competition, and industry experience to develop talented
students into future leaders in the food industry.

The Academy of Culinary Arts began
its affiliation with ProStart in 2008 with faculty member Albert Wutsch’s participation
as a judge at the Wyoming Student Invitational culinary competition. Wutsch was
so impressed by the quality of the ProStart student competitors that, in
successive years, culinary faculty have accepted invitations to judge the national
competition as well as state competitions for New York, North and South
Carolina, Ohio, and Georgia.

Here’s how IUP is working with ProStart
in 2014:

ProStart Summer Institute, Level 1

The Academy
of Culinary Arts has been selected for the third consecutive year to host and
teach the ProStart Summer Institute
teacher training class developed by the NRAEF.

Chef Albert
Wustch will instruct the
Level 1 class June 22
through June 27. Participating teachers
are coming from high schools located all across the U.S.

Culinary Faculty Judge Student Invitational
Culinary Competitions

Chef Albert Wustch was selected to judge the 2014 National
ProStart Invitational in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Scholarships for ProStart Student Competitors

The Academy of Culinary Arts offers a $1,500 scholarship to
all students who participate in ProStart Student Invitational competitions in culinary arts or management at
the state or national level.

]]>Culinary Employment Fair Opens with Four Stars and Four Diamondshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=169112&blogid=3403
A recruiting visit by the Biltmore Company, located in Asheville, North Carolina, kicked off the 2014 Academy of Culinary Arts Sponsor Fair on March 4th. In total, 15 employers coming from as far away as southern Florida and Wisconsin will visit the culinary campus over the next four weeks to present information about]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-03-06T21:37:34ZA recruiting visit by the Biltmore Company, located in Asheville, North Carolina, kicked off the 2014 Academy of Culinary Arts Sponsor Fair on March 4th. In total, 15 employers coming from as far away as southern Florida and Wisconsin will visit the culinary campus over the next four weeks to present information about their sites and interview IUP culinary arts and baking students for externship opportunities.

Biltmore chefs and IUP alumni Mark Demarco ’99 and Krista Gaston ’11 traveled to Punxsutawney along with staffing operations manager Dawn McKinney to interview and recruit students to fill positions at the Biltmore. Culinary students offered employment will start their jobs in August 2014 or May 2015.

According to McKinney, the Biltmore has been hiring IUP externs to work at the four-star and four-diamond property since at least 1998.

When asked about why the Biltmore keeps coming back to hire more IUP students, Demarco says that IUP students are engaged and interested in what is happening in the kitchens. “They want to learn more and more, every day,” Demarco commented.

The Academy of Culinary Arts Sponsor Fair continues throughout the month of March with opportunities for students to interview with employers ranging from prestigious clubs and resorts to regional restaurants and food service operations. Employers recruiting on campus this month include:

]]>Culinary Admissions Program Features Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate...https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=168234&blogid=3403
It’s not too late to register for our Weekday Baking
Buffet tour on Friday, February 28, 2014. Indulge in mouthwatering chocolates and scrumptious pastries
while you learn about the culinary, baking and pastry, and culinary with a
bachelor’s degree options at IUP. You’ll tour our kitchen laboratories, meet our]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-02-21T18:30:44ZIt’s not too late to register for our Weekday Baking
Buffet tour on Friday, February 28, 2014.

Indulge in mouthwatering chocolates and scrumptious pastries
while you learn about the culinary, baking and pastry, and culinary with a
bachelor’s degree options at IUP.

You’ll tour our kitchen laboratories, meet our chef instructors,
and talk with our students about their experience at IUP.

Hear about externship job placements and the successes of our
graduates.

Get a close-up look at chocolate and sugar showpieces that
will amaze you.

Are you looking for information on financial aid? We will be
available for one-on-one counseling before and after the program. Just let us know
prior to your visit.

]]>IUP Student Culinary Team Medals Againhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=167475&blogid=3403
Academy
of Culinary Arts students Bradley Drake, John Mink, J’aime Abramowitz, and
Megan Kauffman kicked off the Spring 2014 semester in a heated competition and took home a bronze medal.
On
January 10, these IUP Baking students participated in American Culinary
Federation-sanctioned culinary competition at]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2014-02-10T18:53:05ZAcademy
of Culinary Arts students Bradley Drake, John Mink, J’aime Abramowitz, and
Megan Kauffman kicked off the Spring 2014 semester in a heated competition and took home a bronze medal.

On
January 10, these IUP Baking students participated in American Culinary
Federation-sanctioned culinary competition at Skidmore College in
Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

For the second year in a row, the
IUP team was the only all-student team out of 10 teams of professional chefs taking part in the competition. IUP’s team agreed
that the competition was more fun the second time around. “I felt more like a
comrade than just a student,” Drake said.

The
night before the competition, all teams received a 15-piece mystery basket
which included duck, king crab, monkfish, pork belly, blood oranges, sweet
potatoes, cranberries, and more.

Competition
menus had to include an appetizer or salad, entrée, and a soup or dessert, with
the team using at least part of all the mystery ingredients. Participants also
had to create a buffet platter with enough food to serve 10 people, along with
two plated servings for judging and photography.

The
team had a tight two-hour window to complete their dishes. They served Grilled
Crab with Brussels Sprout Slaw as the appetizer followed by Blood Orange and
Balsamic Glazed Duck. They concluded the meal with Bose Pear and Cranberry
Galette. Their buffet platter featured Poached Monk Fish Canapé.

Judges
were critical but constructive. “Technically [the dishes] needed work, but
[they] were on point with taste,” Abramowitz said.

This team's efforts in competition earned them two bronze medals and even more educational experience. In less than four months, each member will move on to their next culinary
challenge—a full-time externship position at a prestigious resort.

Drake, Mike, and Abramowitz will be expanding their culinary and baking expertise at the
Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina; Kauffman will be honing her
skills at the Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in the Village of
Pinehurst just four hours away.

]]>Culinary Arts Dean's List, Fall 2013https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=166141&blogid=3403
Ms. Deborah A. Klenotic_22014-01-17T21:12:22ZAcademy of Culinary Arts students are named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence when they achieve a GPA of 3.25 or higher.

The Academy of Culinary Arts, in Punxsutawney, Pa., is one of only 112 culinary programs fully accredited by the American Culinary Federation, the maximum accreditation possible for programs in the United States. ACF-accredited programs meet or exceed published industry standards and, in so doing, are distinguished from hundreds of other postsecondary culinary programs.

Congratulations to these students on making the Dean's List for the fall 2013 semester:

Montgomery County

Gaithersburg

New Jersey

Burlington County

Mount Laurel

New York

Broome County

Endicott

Texas

El Paso County

El Paso

Bradley Drake, Baking/ Pastry Arts

Virginia

Fairfax County

Reston

Kathryn Danaher, Baking/ Pastry Arts

Frederick County

Stephens City

Nicholas Santmier, Culinary Arts

]]>Resort Chefs Conference Has Many IUP Connectionshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=164897&blogid=3403
The Resort Food Executive Committee (RFEC) is dedicated to excellence in food preparation and the career development of future chefs. Its members include chefs from some of America’s greatest resorts and industry leaders, including IUP Academy of Culinary Arts faculty member Gary Fitting and alumnus Jeremy Critchfi]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2013-12-03T19:21:55ZThe Resort Food Executive Committee (RFEC) is dedicated to excellence in food preparation and the career development of future chefs. Its members include chefs from some of America’s greatest resorts and industry leaders, including IUP Academy of Culinary Arts faculty member Gary Fitting and alumnus Jeremy Critchfield.

The group’s annual conference, themed “Country Chefs Can Survive,” was hosted in October 2014 by RFEC President Brent Wertz, vice president of Food and Beverage and executive chef for Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Activities included going country, complete with bib overalls and flannel shirts, enjoying lunch on a hill side, butchering chickens, and then changing into black tie for dinner!

Sean Eckman, the executive sous chef of Fine Dining and a 2000 graduate of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, oversaw the preparation of the exquisite meals served to the conference guests at Nemacolin. Food service included a 16-course dinner at the Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond restaurant Lautrec, where IUP alumna Kristin Butterworth ’01 is the chef de cuisine, and a dinner at the Forbes Four-Stars Aqueous, where alumnus Tyler Hutchison ’09 is the sous chef.

Faculty member Chef Gary Fitting is an honorary member of the RFEC in recognition of his former position as executive chef at the five-star, five-diamond Cloister Hotel in Sea Island, Georgia; his apprenticeship at the Greenbrier in West Virginia; and his experience teaching culinary students at IUP. The committee values the insight he is able to contribute from both professional and student perspectives.

The Resort Food Executive Committee member properties include 25 nationally and internationally recognized resorts which have earned a four- or five-star/diamond rating.

“Promoting and educating the future chefs of tomorrow is a paramount goal of the RFEC.” The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts sends student externs to these properties each year because of the broad educational and professional opportunities that these resort properties are able to offer to beginning culinarians.

]]>Culinary Arts Hosts National Teacher Training Programhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=144763&blogid=3403
Educators from across the nation attended ProStart Summer Institute training at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, June 16–21, 2013.
The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts was one of four culinary programs selected by the by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to host and instruct ProS]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2013-07-02T15:40:19ZEducators from across the nation attended ProStart Summer Institute training at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, June 16–21, 2013.

The Summer Institute curriculum, developed by the NRAEF and taught by Culinary Arts faculty, has the goal of teaching cutting-edge skills to high school instructors which can be taken back to the classroom.

Level 2 teaches customer service and nutrition, and continues with career basics and purchasing. Culinary skill development includes meat, poultry, and seafood; fruits and vegetables; potatoes and grains; and breakfast and sandwiches.

Culinary Arts faculty, staff, and students enjoyed getting to know our visiting teachers who represented high schools from six states: New Hampshire, Montana, Texas, West Virginia, Missouri, and Minnesota.

]]>Culinary Admissions Visit Program Scheduled for July 5https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=144616&blogid=3403
Interested in learning more about the awesome careers our Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry programs can prepare you for? Join us on Friday, July 5, 2013, for our Weekday Tour.
With small-sized tour groups, lots of time to talk to faculty and students one-on-one, and incredible sweet and savory food stations, th]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2013-06-26T12:42:04ZInterested in learning more about the awesome careers our Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry programs can prepare you for? Join us on Friday, July 5, 2013, for our Weekday Tour.

With small-sized tour groups, lots of time to talk to faculty and students one-on-one, and incredible sweet and savory food stations, this program is not to be missed!

Get your questions answered as you tour our state-of-the-art Living and Learning Center, get a close-up look at kitchen labs, and see a presentation about our progam.

Meet and talk with students, faculty, and staff. And complete your visit at two gourmet buffets designed and prepared by first-year culinary students in our Advanced Baking and Advanced Garde Manger classes.

]]>Former Chef Instructor Thomas Vieli Loses His Battle to Cancerhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=143637&blogid=3403
The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts is sad to share the news that former chef instructor Thomas Vieli passed away on Tuesday, May 28, 2013.
Chef Vieli was an instructor from 1994 to 1998. Born in Ilanz, Switzerland, on April 30, 1948, he had a successful 30-year career in the hospitality industry, holding numerous che]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2013-05-30T19:41:12ZThe IUP Academy of Culinary Arts is sad to share the news that former chef instructor Thomas Vieli passed away on Tuesday, May 28, 2013.

Chef Vieli was an instructor from 1994 to 1998. Born in Ilanz, Switzerland, on April 30, 1948, he had a successful 30-year career in the hospitality industry, holding numerous chef and management positions at corporations around the world and teaching at several universities.

He was an active member of the American Culinary Federation, holding the certifications of certified executive chef and certified culinary educator.

Prior to his death, Chef Vieli was a lead instructor at Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser, W Va.

]]>Chef April Simpson-Gruver Gives Keynote Address at Baking and Pastry Toque Ceremonyhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=143337&blogid=3403
April Simpson-Gruver, owner of Vanilla Pastry Studio, in East Liberty near Pittsburgh, Pa., was the keynote speaker at the 2013 IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Baking and Pastry Arts Toque Day ceremony on Friday, May 17, 2013.
California-born April Simpson-Gruver has cooked and baked around the country in notable pla]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2013-05-23T19:14:38ZApril Simpson-Gruver, owner of Vanilla Pastry Studio, in East Liberty near Pittsburgh, Pa., was the keynote speaker at the 2013 IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Baking and Pastry Arts Toque Day ceremony on Friday, May 17, 2013.

California-born April Simpson-Gruver has cooked and baked around the country in notable places such as Rover’s in Seattle, the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago, and the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh. She’s taught pastry arts at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, and now, after a second child, she’s opened her own business: Vanilla Pastry Studio, in East Liberty.

The shop is stocked with creative cakes, cookies, brownies, and scones. Her signature confections are soft-centered “Lollys”—desserts on a stick—offering such enticing flavors as salted caramel custard, white chocolate raspberry, and key lime pie. She also works with caterers to custom design wedding and special event cakes. April resides in Pittsburgh with her husband, John, and her two children, Allyson and Andrue.

Chef Simpson-Gruver shared with students and guests her passion for the profession and her advice on how to be successful. She encouraged students to never give up, and said that everyone has bad days—even she has been known to “cry” in her fondant while working on a wedding cake.

Of the 28 students that received their toques on Toque Day, 89 percent had excellent attendance (missing less than two days during the two semesters of their program) and 96 percent of the students made the Dean’s List. The Baking and Pastry students will be doing their externship at 15 different sites and in five different states.

]]>Culinary Faculty Join Industry Leaders in ProStart Competition Judginghttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=142359&blogid=3403
IUP Academy of Culinary Arts faculty members Albert Wutsch, Clifford Klinger, and Andrew Nutter were among the culinary professionals invited in 2013 to judge the National Restaurant Association’s premier culinary competition for high school students, the ProStart Invitational.
IUP chefs judged state competitions ]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2013-05-01T16:20:29ZIUP Academy of Culinary Arts faculty members Albert Wutsch, Clifford Klinger, and Andrew Nutter were among the culinary professionals invited in 2013 to judge the National Restaurant Association’s premier culinary competition for high school students, the ProStart Invitational.

IUP chefs judged state competitions hosted by partner state restaurant associations in Georgia, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Wyoming, and most recently for the national competition in Maryland. The teams were talented, and the competition was rigorous!

Both state and national ProStart Invitationals require the “teams participating in the culinary competition to demonstrate their culinary knowledge, skills, and creative abilities through the preparation of a three-course meal in only 60 minutes.”

ProStart is a nationwide, two-year, industry-driven curriculum for high school students. The program teaches culinary techniques and management skills with the goal of developing “the best and brightest talent into tomorrow's industry leaders.”

]]>Culinary Arts Dean's List, Fall 2012https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=138175&blogid=3403
Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2013-01-22T20:35:15ZThe following is a list of students in the Academy of Culinary Arts who qualified for the Dean’s List in the Fall 2012 semester.

The list of students is organized alphabetically by county and city, presenting Pennsylvania counties first, followed by counties in other states.

Adams

Littlestown: Travis Zuber

Allegheny

Coraopolis: Jayme Kerr; Emily McConkey

Gisbonia: Lindsay Steen

Pittsburgh: Chelsea Jeffrie

Wexford: Nikki Sardon

Armstrong

Ford City: Shelby Lukehart

Freeport: Rhonda Fleming

Beaver

Freedom: Amy Shealy

Bedford

Everett: Nicole Sheetz

Blair

Altoona: Lisa Pruznak; Trista Thayer

Bucks

Holland: Mary Reitz

Perkasie: Kelly Morrison

Butler

Cabot: Graci Shaffer

Cranberry Township: Victoria Roenigk

Cambria

Johnstown: Rose Anderson

Carbon

Lehighton: Samantha Bowman

Chester

Berwyn: Brittany Birdsell

Coatesville: Timothy Joyner-Matz

Clarion

Fryburg: Kareena Eisenman

Knox: Katherine Hartzell

Clearfield

Brisbin: Thomas Schroeder

DuBois: Rachel Hicks

Houtzdale: Ariana Yaple

Osceola Mills: Bryan Richner

Penfield: Samantha Brown

Crawford

Conneaut Lake: Jordan Lucian

Titusville: Gianina Gionti

Delaware

Glen Mills: Kyle Woods

Erie

North East: Samantha Sprague

Wattsburg: Megan Shreve

West Springfield: Tyler Borstorff

Franklin

Chambersburg: Briana Mansberger

Green Castle: Christopher Harbaugh

Huntingdon

Alexandria: Allison Bousum

Indiana

Home: Jaimee Bellman

Jefferson

Brookville: Jonathon Hoak

Punxsutawney: Megan Kauffman; Angel Poling; Cody Van Namee

Lawrence

Ellwood City: Lindsay McCowin

New Castle: Katie Dorr

Lycoming

Hughesville: Chase Platt

Mercer

Grove City: Kelly McCarl

Jamestown: Sandra Kelly

Montgomery

Willow Grove: Elaina Leonardi

Philadelphia

Philadelphia: Daniera May; Lafon Motley

Tioga

Sabinsville: Audrey Hoppe

Tioga: Destiny Sorge

Union

Blairsville: Jessica Startari

Warren

Pittsfield: Rebecca Lindstrom

Youngsville: Kelly Cindrich

Warren: Philip Dorn

Washington

Washington: Samantha Stumpf

Westmoreland

Lower Burrell: David Guentner

York

York: Arielle Zambito

California

Imperial

Brawley: Bethany Theuret

Out-of State

Maryland

Montgomery

Damascus: Kelsey Pitman

Washington

Hagerstown: Kayla Hott

New Jersey

Passaic

Wayne: Stephanie Delorenzis

New York

Queens

Bellrose: John Mink

Ulster

Saugerties: Kaysi Hill

Ohio

Stark

Canton: Samantha Widder

Texas

El Paso

El Paso: Bradley Drake

Virginia

Fairfax

Reston: Kathryn Danaher

]]>Culinary Alumni Class Notes: Fall 2012https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=137207&blogid=3403
Culinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!
If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes news post.]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2012-12-11T14:27:40ZCulinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!

‘08 Culinary Arts

Mitch Gruver

’12 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Heather Oesterling
is a baker at Boldys Bakery in Butler, Pa. where she creates pies, turnovers, pastries, cream pies, cakes, and muffins.

]]>Wygonik Named to ManageFirst Exam Writing Teamhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=135774&blogid=3403
Academy of Culinary Arts faculty member Mindy Wygonik has received a certificate of appreciation for her participation in the ManageFirst Examinations Item Writing Drive held October 15–17, 2012, at the National Restaurant Association offices in Chicago, Illinois.
The national writing meeting was charged]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2012-10-30T20:13:19ZAcademy of Culinary Arts faculty member Mindy Wygonik has received a certificate of appreciation for her participation in the ManageFirst Examinations Item Writing Drive held October 15–17, 2012, at the National Restaurant Association offices in Chicago, Illinois.

The national writing meeting was charged with writing new items for ManageFirst examinations. Wygonik, who was recruited in December 2011 to serve as an author/subject matter expert for the new edition of the ManageFirst program, was invited to participate in the national meeting based upon the quality of her work and level of participation in the program.

Wygonik teaches computer and business courses to culinary students at the Academy of Culinary Arts. She was honored to participate in the ManageFirst writing meeting, and believes her selection is a testament to her dedication to the Culinary Arts program at IUP and the hospitality industry as a whole.

]]>Euclid Fish Company Gives Culinary Students Exclusive Samplinghttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=129948&blogid=3403
On June 22, 2012, the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts became the first culinary school east of the Mississippi River to sample the specialty fish Skuna Bay Salmon .
Sandra Ewing from Euclid Fish Company brought samples of this hand-chosen, hand-cleaned, and inspected salmon for culinary faculty and students to p]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2012-06-22T19:53:53ZOn June 22, 2012, the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts became the first culinary school east of the Mississippi River to sample the specialty fish Skuna Bay Salmon.

Sandra Ewing from Euclid Fish Company brought samples of this hand-chosen, hand-cleaned, and inspected salmon for culinary faculty and students to prepare and taste.

Skuna Bay Salmon is craft-raised in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, and is the highest quality salmon available.

Euclid Fish Company, a fourth-generation, family-owned business from Menter, Ohio, is one out of only four companies in the United States contracted to wholesale Skuna Bay Salmon.

With a focus on being socially responsible, Euclid Fish Company uses no chemicals in their processing and ships products in recyclable, environmentally friendly packaging.

The company has been supplying the Culinary Arts program at IUP with fresh seafood for over five years and, according to culinary faculty member Chef Gary Fitting, offer “the best fish available with the best taste I have ever had.”

]]>Culinary Arts Hosts National ProStart Training for Teachershttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=129710&blogid=3403
Educators from across the nation are attending ProStart Summer Institute training at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts , June 18 through June 22, 2012.
The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts is one of three culinary programs selected by the by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to host a]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2012-06-20T16:36:58ZEducators from across the nation are attending ProStart Summer Institute training at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, June 18 through June 22, 2012.

The Summer Institute curriculum, developed by the NRAEF and taught by Culinary Arts faculty, has the goal of teaching cutting-edge skills to high school instructors which can be taken back to the classroom.

The program provides an overview of the restaurant and food service industry and includes instruction on kitchen and management essentials. Participants will gain in-depth knowledge of culinary basics from knife skills and mise en place to cooking methods.

Check out the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts on Facebook for photos and updates on the workshop.

]]>Culinary Alumni Class Notes, Summer 2012https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=129668&blogid=3403
Culinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!
If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes news post.
]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2012-06-19T17:26:15ZCulinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!

’97 Culinary Arts

Robyn Sidlosy Maley

’05 Culinary Arts

Heidi Christman

'07 Culinary Arts

Ross Thompson

is a sous chef at The Plains at Parish Homestead in Oneonta, N.Y. Ross recently won Riviana Foods What's in your Wok Fried Rice Competition, which was held during the 2012 American Culinary Federation (ACF) Northeast Regional Conference. He will advance to the national finals in July at the ACF National Convention in Orlando, Fla.

’08 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Laura Noll

is a baker for Mussers Markets in Columbia, Pa. Laura is responsible for the baking in two stores.

’09 Culinary Arts

Leonardo Aragao

is a private chef in New York City, N.Y. Leonardo specializes in preparing and plating haute cuisine cocktail parties, dinners, and other receptions for private families. He has also prepared meals for international diplomats in the tri-state region.

Ryan Kline

’10 Culinary Arts

Jason Shafer

is currently working on his Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management at IUP. While completing his degree, Jason is managing a deli/bistro at Pistons in Heilwood, Pa.

’11 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts

Abagayle Schreck

is a pastry and prep cook at Waypoint Seafood & Grill in Williamsburg, Va. Abagayle is responsible for making all the dessertsand pastries for the restaurant, which includes ice creams and sorbets. She completed her externship at Kingsmill Resort prior to her current employment.

]]>Culinary Teams Face Off in Picnic Food Challengehttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=128056&blogid=3403
Three teams of chefs and culinary students volunteered to compete against the clock and each other to prepare the “best” picnic lunch of the day at “A Chefs Challenge: Picnic Food.”
On Sunday, May 6, 2012, the Escoffier Club at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts and IUP Dining sponsored a picnic food culinary com]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2012-05-07T18:38:00ZThree teams of chefs and culinary students volunteered to compete against the clock and each other to prepare the “best” picnic lunch of the day at “A Chefs Challenge: Picnic Food.”

One chef, one baking student, and two culinary students made up each team. Chefs leading the teams included IUP faculty members Martha Jo Rupert and Anthony Battaglia and chef Robert Stevens from Aramark.

Inspired by the Food Network show Chopped, each team had to prepare a cold picnic lunch for four people that included chicken, yogurt, red grapes, and one mystery item in the ingredients. Teams had 30 minutes to plan their menus, one hour to cook, and 10 minutes to plate and present the finished lunches for judging. All lunches had to include a sandwich, salad or side dish, dessert, and beverage.

Four volunteer judges evaluated organization and sanitation, use of the required ingredients and mystery item, time management, communication, creativity, presentation, and taste of the finished product. They were impressed!

The event concluded with a pig roast and picnic for all in attendance, prepared by Chef Bob Stevens and Aramark. Students, faculty, and staff had a great time and are already talking about planning next year’s competition.

]]>Culinary Sponsor Fair Links Students with Employershttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=127681&blogid=3403
Culinary students are finalizing their externship employment contracts for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 after participating in the 2012 Sponsor Fair hosted by the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts.
Executive chefs and human resource managers from some of the most prestigious employers in the hospitality industry visited th]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2012-04-26T18:58:37ZCulinary students are finalizing their externship employment contracts for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 after participating in the 2012 Sponsor Fair hosted by the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts.

Executive chefs and human resource managers from some of the most prestigious employers in the hospitality industry visited the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts in April to talk about culinary careers and interview students for externship positions.

Some of the employers that students had an opportunity to interview with included:

Each employer was treated to a gourmet luncheon created by faculty member Martha Jo Rupert. Chef Rupert was assisted by culinary and baking students, many of whom will be completing an externship with the employer who was visiting that day.

]]>Culinary Alumni Class Notes, Spring 2012https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=126879&blogid=3403
Culinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!
If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes news post.
]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2012-04-13T16:41:15ZCulinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!

’00 Culinary Arts

’06 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

David Burchis the executive sous chef for Parkhurst Dining at Bucknell University. Parkhurst Dining is a division of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group. David manages the residential and catering food operations for Bucknell University, which is the company’s largest account.

’07 Culinary Arts

Thomas Barnes is the sous chef at Nap’s Cucina Mia in Indiana, PA. Thomas works on the line and prepares desserts for the restaurant. In 2010 one of the desserts Thomas helped create with Chef Nick Karas was voted one of the "Top Five Desserts of 2010" by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

’08 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts

Heidi Miller is currently the head baker at Sweet Tammy’s in Pittsburgh, Pa. Heidi was the April guest speaker for the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Groundhog Chapter meeting, where she spoke about cake decorating and competitions.

’09 Culinary Arts and DCT (Switzerland)

Peter Christoffel is currently working for Wegmans while completing his Nutrition/Dietetics degree at West Chester University.

’09 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts

’10 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts

Ann Colangelo is completing her Hospitality Management degree at IUP. While attending school she is employed as a line cook at Holiday Inn in Indiana, Pa. Ann is in charge of all prep work and specials. She also helps with banquets and manages the evening cook shift.

]]>Culinary Students Work with Celebrity Chefhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=125361&blogid=3403
IUP Academy of Culinary Arts graduate Caleb McNany and externship students Danielle Tenfelde and Daniel Le assisted celebrity chef John Besh at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla., on March 5, 2012.
Chef Besh presented “My New Orleans,” a cooking and learning demonstration featuring the fresh flavor of local in]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2012-03-15T14:30:09ZIUP Academy of Culinary Arts graduate Caleb McNany and externship students Danielle Tenfelde and Daniel Le assisted celebrity chef John Besh at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla., on March 5, 2012.

Chef Besh presented “My New Orleans,” a cooking and learning demonstration featuring the fresh flavor of local ingredients at the Ocean Reef Club Cooking School (a series of culinary classes by celebrated chefs held at the Ocean Reef Club).

Named by Food & Wine magazine as one of the Top 10 Best New Chefs in America, Chef Besh owns and operates nine restaurants. His flagship restaurant, August, was featured in Gourmet magazine’s “Guide to America’s Best Restaurants” and “America’s Top 50 Restaurants.” He is also the author of two cookbooks, My New Orleans (Andrews McMeel Publishing, October 2009,) and the follow-up cookbook, My Family Table (Andrews McMeel Publishing, November 2011).

]]>Culinary Alumni Class Notes, Winter 2012https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=124830&blogid=3403
Culinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!
If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes news post.
]]>Dr. Michael J. Powers2012-02-29T16:14:28ZCulinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!

’97 Culinary Arts

Victoria Patalon
is currently the retail and catering manager at AVI Foodsystems at Lakewood Hospital in Lakewood, Ohio.

’99 Culinary Arts

Thomas Seaman
is the central kitchen production team leader for Giant Eagle in Pittsburgh, Pa. In his current position, he manages 25 team members and supplies fully cooked gourmet products for all five Market District stores in the Pittsburgh area. His numerous positions at Giant Eagle over the past seven years have given him the opportunity to work both in the front and back of the house, which he enjoys.

Eric McHughrecently joined the staff of the Refinery as sous chef. The Refinery is located in Tampa, Fla. The Refinery produces a new menu each week with items that are fresh and available from local farmers and suppliers.

’05 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Valerie Watt McHugh
is the campus executive chef at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., where she is employed through Bon Appétit Management. Valerie is responsible for three cafes and catering on campus. She has been employed with the company since 2009.

’06 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts

Bruce Baumannis the executive sous chef at Parkhurst Dining Services at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa. Along with the executive chef, Bruce oversees dining and catering operations at Lycoming College. Lycoming College has a yearly enrollment of 2,000.

’07 Culinary Arts and ’08 DCT

Jeffrey Millerrecently accepted a position as a line cook at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tenn. Blackberry Farm’s dining venue, the Barn, specializes in fresh on-the-farm cuisine and has been featured in Food & Wine, Gourmet,and Bon Appétit magazines. Blackberry Farm is a luxurious hotel located in the Great Smoky Mountains.

’08 Culinary Arts and ’09 DCT

Elizabeth Williamsrecently accepted a position as a pastry cook at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tenn.

’09 Culinary Arts

Ryan Kline
is currently the demi chef at the Bistro at the Biltomore Estate in Asheville, N.C. Ryan also works with other Culinary Academy alumni at the Bistro, which includes grill demi-chef John Solomon ’09 and cook 2’s Jess Bower ’10 and Nate Elkovitch ’10. In January 2011, Ryan competed in the Les Chaine Jeunes Commis (Young Chef) Competition.

Jeremy Mannersis the culinary and nutrition director at West Haven Manor–Quality Life Services in Apollo, Pa. Jeremy recently earned the Foodservice Management Professional credential. He currently serves as the state chapter president for the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals.

’11 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

]]>Culinary Arts to Exhibit at Pittsburgh National College Fairhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=123844&blogid=3403
The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts will be participating in the National Association for College Admission Counseling College Fair on February 8 and February 9, 2012, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.
If you would like to learn more about culinary arts , baking and pastry arts , culinary ]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2012-02-06T19:39:16ZThe IUP Academy of Culinary Arts will be participating in the National Association for College Admission Counseling College Fair on February 8 and February 9, 2012, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

IUP Culinary Admissions representatives will be available to answer your questions, give you program material, and talk to you about degree options, admissions requirements, culinary careers, and more!

Fair hours are from 9:00 a.m. to noon and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8, and from 9:00 a.m. to noon on Thursday, February 9.

]]>Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show Features IUP Presentationshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=122864&blogid=3403
Albert Wutsch , chairperson of the Department of Culinary Arts , and culinary arts graduate Virginia Lazo are featured guest speakers at the 2012 Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show, the largest show of its kind in North America.
From February 4 through February 12, 2012, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harr]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2012-01-31T19:35:32ZAlbert Wutsch, chairperson of the Department of Culinary Arts, and culinary arts graduate Virginia Lazo are featured guest speakers at the 2012 Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show, the largest show of its kind in North America.

From February 4 through February 12, 2012, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, outdoor enthusiasts will be able to see hundreds of exhibiters and demonstrations related to hunting, fishing, camping, outdoor vacationing, and more.

Included among the demonstrations will be deer butchering seminars by Chef Albert Wutsch and “Secret Recipes for Cooking That Trout” presented by Virginia (Stoneberger) Lazo ’06.

An avid hunter and outdoorsman, Albert Wutsch is a certified executive chef and culinary educator who combines his mastery of cooking with his passion for the great outdoors. Chef Wutsch has cooked for professional outfitters in Montana and in many hunting camps throughout the country; he has also taught courses on game cookery in Montana, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Chef Wutsch will be presenting seminars on deer butchery each day of the show.

Virginia Lazo is a 2006 graduate of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. She will be conducting her trout cooking seminars on February 4, 5, 10, 11, and 12.

Lazo has experience working at top restaurants, including the fine dining restaurant Tavern on the Hill in Enola, Pa., and at the luxurious private mountain resort, the Yellowstone Club, in Big Sky Montana. She currently is employed at her family’s business, Central Penn Sporting Clays, where she does catering and runs a bed and breakfast.

]]>Chili and Hot Wing Cook-Off Spicing Up Groundhog Dayhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=122829&blogid=3403
The eighth annual Chili and Hot Wing Cook-Off will be held at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts on Wednesday, February 1, 2012.
Chef Martha Jo Rupert and a team of culinary student volunteers are once again assisting local resident, Gene “Chilipepper” Roberts, to run this appetizing community event on the ev]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2012-01-31T16:05:51ZThe eighth annual Chili and Hot Wing Cook-Off will be held at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts on Wednesday, February 1, 2012.

Chef Martha Jo Rupert and a team of culinary student volunteers are once again assisting local resident, Gene “Chilipepper” Roberts, to run this appetizing community event on the eve of Punxsutawney Phil’s weather prognostication.

Guests will be able to purchase tickets to sample a wide variety of chili and wing recipes created by local and not-so-local cook-off competitors. Judging to determine the cook-off winners and a jalapeno pepper eating contest open to everyone will commence at 7:00 p.m.

]]>Culinary Faculty to Judge ProStart Competitionshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=122493&blogid=3403
IUP Academy of Culinary Arts faculty members Albert Wutsch , Clifford Klinger , and Andrew Nutter are among the culinary professionals selected to judge at the 2012 ProStart Student Invitational competitions.
State ProStart competitions in Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wyoming and the National ProStart ]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2012-01-24T19:49:11ZIUP Academy of Culinary Arts faculty members Albert Wutsch, Clifford Klinger, and Andrew Nutter are among the culinary professionals selected to judge at the 2012 ProStart Student Invitational competitions.

State ProStart competitions in Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wyoming and the National ProStart Invitational on April 27–29 in Baltimore, Maryland, will each have an IUP judge in attendance.

The ProStart Invitational is composed of two distinct competitions: the culinary and management competitions. Teams of talented culinary students will begin both ProStart competitions at the state level this month. First-place winning teams from the state invitationals will then showcase their abilities in the national competition.

Both state and national Prostart Student Invitationals require the “teams participating in the culinary competition to demonstrate their culinary knowledge, skills and creative abilities through the preparation of a three-course meal in only 60 minutes. Their performance during the practical session is observed and rated by judges from leading colleges and universities.”

ProStart is a “nationwide, two-year program for high school students that develops the best and brightest talent into tomorrow's industry leaders. From culinary techniques to management skills, ProStart's industry-driven curriculum provides real-world educational opportunities and builds practical skills and a foundation that will last a lifetime.”

]]>Ocean Reef Club and IUP Students Reap Benefits from Recruiting Partnershiphttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=120571&blogid=3403
This year marks the thirteenth year that IUP culinary students have participated in the externship program at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida. This partnership between the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts and Ocean Reef has resulted in the placement of over 120 IUP culinary students and graduates in externshi]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2011-12-06T20:25:30Z

This year marks the thirteenth year that IUP culinary students have participated in the externship program at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida. This partnership between the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts and Ocean Reef has resulted in the placement of over 120 IUP culinary students and graduates in externship or permanent positions at the club.

Located at the northernmost tip of the Florida Keys on two thousand acres in a tropical paradise, Ocean Reef Club is the largest private club in the United States. With more than a dozen food and beverage outlets, as well as catering, banquet, and special event dining, the Ocean Reef Club provides culinarians of all levels the opportunity to participate in the creation and delivery of an exceptional range of high-end culinary services.

A huge fan of the culinary program at IUP, Philippe P. Reynaud, senior director of culinary operations at the Ocean Reef Club, travels to Punxsutawney each year with his recruitment manager, Angelina Andreoni, to recruit IUP students for externship positions.

For the externship program, Chef Philippe coordinates a schedule that sees the “students participate in a weekly culinary rotation through a variety of kitchen positions, which include experience at restaurants of varying specialties and cuisines, banquet, and catering services and special culinary events.”

The club is clearly satisfied with the IUP culinary recruits. An article in the Ocean Reef Press tells members, “You might notice a strange phenomenon at your Club restaurants as you return season after season. The faces of those preparing your meals might change drastically, but the quality and culinary expertise remains top-notch. The reason is one that you might not be aware of but that is a great source of pride for our Food & Beverage Team – a great relationship with the Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Academy of Culinary Arts provides a great learning experience for students and a great team of passionate chefs-in-training for our Club.”

Faculty and staff at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts are also pleased with the partnership. IUP Culinary students gain professional experience in a world-class culinary operation. “Chef Philippe’s philosophy of food and people has made him one of the most outstanding professional chefs we work with,” said Albert Wutsch, department chairperson. “He brings out the best in each and every individual he works with, and he returns our students to us enthusiastic and full of passion.”

]]>Culinary Alumni Class Notes, Fall 2011https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=120296&blogid=3403
Culinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!
If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes news post.]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2011-11-28T17:20:53ZCulinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!

’02 Culinary Arts

Ashley Martin

is the food and beverage coordinator at the Intercontinental Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio. Employed by Intercontinental Hotels for seven years, Ashley’s current responsibilities include booking events and assisting the food and beverage director.

’05 Culinary Arts

Travis Birck

is the kitchen manager at Casper Restaurant in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Casper Restaurant is a ski-in\ski-out restaurant located in the Teton mountain range at the base of the Jackson Hole Resort’s Casper Lift. The restaurant has been rated by Ski Magazine as one of the Top Ten Best Resort Restaurants in the country. Travis spends his summers in Alaska, where he has been using the ice carving skills he developed at IUP to sculpt stone, whale bone, mammoth ivory, and other Alaskan materials.

’06 Culinary Arts

Thomas Barnes

is the baker for Dornans Resort in Moose, Wyo. Dornans is a family-owned and operated resort located in the heart of the Jackson Hole valley, on the Snake River inside the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park. Thomas says, “It's awesome to be doing what I love in such a beautiful area.”

’07 Culinary Arts

Kirsten Church

’07 Culinary Arts

Nicole Grover Williams

is assistant head cook at Robert Packer Hospital, a Level II Regional Trauma Center and division of Guthrie Health located in Sayre, Pa. Nicole’s department is responsible for providing food service for 1,500 patients, visitors, and staff each day. Nicole is gaining catering experience as well; her department caters hospital and medical staff events, including luncheons, elegant dinners, weddings, and everything in between.

’07 Culinary Arts

Kristofer Pierce

’08 Culinary Arts

Zachary Ford

is the executive chef at the U.S. Hotel in Hollidaysburg, Pa. He has been employed by the hotel since February 2011. His sous chef is Daniel Dillier, ’10.

’08 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Janice Benjamin

was recently promoted to pastry chef at the Giant Eagle Market District in Robinson, Pa. One of Janice’s responsibilities as pastry chef is to formulate and create recipes for the Giant Eagle Market District franchise.

’10 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Daniel Dillier

is sous chef at the U.S. Hotel in Hollidaysburg, PA. His executive chef is Zachary Ford, ’08.

]]>Culinary Students Cook to Fight Cancer at Giant Eaglehttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=118159&blogid=3403
The American Cancer Society and Giant Eagle in Indiana held their twenty-first annual Grocers Fight Cancer Day on Thursday, October 6, 2011.
This one-day event featured sales, raffles, live music, and more to entice customers into the store to shop on this special day, where a percentage of sales was donated to th]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2011-10-17T19:49:24Z

The American Cancer Society and Giant Eagle in Indiana held their twenty-first annual Grocers Fight Cancer Day on Thursday, October 6, 2011.

This one-day event featured sales, raffles, live music, and more to entice customers into the store to shop on this special day, where a percentage of sales was donated to the American Cancer Society.

The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts is located in Punxsutawney and offers programs in Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts.

]]>Culinary Alumni Class Notes, September 2011https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=117003&blogid=3403
Culinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!
If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes news post.
’93
James Sones
is the p]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2011-09-29T16:22:48ZCulinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news!

’93

James Sones

is the purchasing chef at IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. Chef Sones is responsible for the ordering and distribution of food and supplies for the Academy of Culinary Arts. His responsibilities also include managing the purchasing budget.

’97

Nicholas Williamson

is the general manager/executive chef at Tonelli’s Pizza Pub in Horsham, Pa. The restaurant is on track to exceed four million dollars in sales this year; a second location is in the works.

’98

Zachary Dollak

is the co-owner of Milano Italian Steakhouse in Old Forge, Pa. Standouts on Milano’s menu include the sixteen-ounce Delmonico steaks with house-made glazes, the baked gnocchis, and the pan-seared scallops with wild mushroom risotto and white wine cream sauce.

’01

Justin McComas

is a sous chef at Cedric’s Tavern at the Biltmore Estates in Asheville, N.C. Cedric’s Tavern is one of many dining locations at the Biltmore. The tavern’s cuisine pays tribute to the neighborhood pubs of Britain and Ireland.

’05

Carrie Berkey

is the chef/manager at Indian Lake Resort in Indian Lake, Pa. Indian Lake Resort is a full-function resort located in the Laurel Highlands.

’05

Alex Ochs

is the chef de cuisine at Desert Mountain Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. Desert Mountain Club is one of the world's premier private, residential communities with six championship Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses. Alex is responsible for the Mexican-Southwestern restaurant on property.

’06

Heather McNeil

is a barista and caterer at Dornans in Moose, Wyo. Dornans is a family-owned/operated resort located in the heart of the Jackson Hole Valley in Wyoming.

’07 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry

Amber Kunselman

is a former pastry chef at Sugar Cafe in Pittsburgh, Pa. (Dormont). Sugar Cafe offered home-style breakfast and lunch menus, as well as gourmet pastries and cakes all house-made from scratch daily. Amber is also doing some independent work and has created a website showcasing her creations.

In July 2011, the American Culinary Federation Education Foundations Accrediting Commission (ACFEFAC) granted accreditation renewal for the Culinary Arts and the Baking and Pastry Arts certificate programs at IUP.

ACFEFAC is the only culinary arts accrediting body recognized by the Council of Higher Education in the United States.

Accreditation assures that the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts programs practice high levels of professionalism and maintain accountability and credibility, curriculum standards, and current educational practices.

Additionally, the ACFEF identified the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts programs as “Exemplary” by national standards.

“Exemplary” status is awarded to those programs found to be exhibiting all required areas of ACFEF standards to a substantial degree.

Graduates of the IUP Culinary Arts and the Baking and Pastry Arts ACFEFAC-accredited programs are eligible for the American Culinary Federation Culinarian or Pastry Culinarian certification without any additional fees or exam requirements.

]]>Alumni Class Notes for August 2011https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=114619&blogid=3403
Culinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news.
If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes news post.]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2011-08-16T19:04:29ZCulinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news.

’02

Jamie Lyn McAuliffe-Jones

’05

Joshua South

is a cook III and saucier at the four diamond Boca Raton Resort and Club in Boca Raton, Florida. A few of the many amenities there include a half-mile stretch of private beach, two eighteen-hole championship golf courses, seven swimming pools, three state-of-the-art fitness centers, and a variety of water sports.

’06

Sarah Dayton

’07

Joshua Rhodes

is a pastry cook III at The Breakers, a AAA Five Diamond oceanfront resort in Palm Beach, Florida. The Breakers has nine distinctive restaurants and a banquet kitchen. Joshua is in charge of all cookie and banquet breads production. He was the the honorary guest speaker at the 2011 IUP Baking and Pastry Arts Toque ceremony.

’08

Brian Dickey

is sous chef at Marriott Pittsburgh City Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Marriott is the home of The Steelhead Brasserie and Wine Bar, which is famous for American Fusion cuisine.

]]>Chef Ricchi is Keynote Speaker at 2011 Toque Ceremonyhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=114059&blogid=3403
Chef Francesco Ricchi, owner of the award-winning Cesco Trattoria near Washington, D.C., was the keynote speaker at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Acceptance of the Toque Ceremony held on August 6, 2011.
Born in the village of Cercina, Italy, Chef Ricchi started his culinary training when his grandfather open]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2011-08-10T18:55:14ZChef Francesco Ricchi, owner of the award-winning Cesco Trattoria near Washington, D.C., was the keynote speaker at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Acceptance of the Toque Ceremony held on August 6, 2011.

Born in the village of Cercina, Italy, Chef Ricchi started his culinary training when his grandfather opened a small grocery store in 1929. Many years later, he turned that small grocery store into a successful restaurant. In 1997, he opened Cesco Trattoria in Bethesda, Maryland.

Chef Ricchi has earned dozens of awards, including Best New Restaurant in the United States, Top Twenty-Five Restaurants in North America, Chef of the Year 1998, Best Italian Restaurant, Best Newcomer, and the Zagat Award of Distinction. He is listed among the Washington Post's 50 Best Restaurants, and has been named the Favorite Restaurant in Montgomery County (Md.).

Featured on both the Discovery Channel’s television series Great Chefs of the East and on the Food Channel series Chocolate Passion, Chef Ricchi has also been highlighted in numerous cookbooks.

Culinary students attending the ceremony were inspired as Chef Ricchi shared stories about his passion for food and cooking. As he spoke about his life’s journey in the restaurant business, he emphasized the passion and dedication to the profession that is required to be a successful chef. He reminded the students to never stop learning even as they head off to externship, their final graduation requirement.

]]>Culinary Alumni Class Notes for July 2011https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=113237&blogid=3403
Culinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news.
If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes news post.
’99
Steven Sterritt
is ex]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2011-07-25T20:49:31ZCulinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news.

’99

Steven Sterritt

is executive chef at Sequoia National Park in California. He works for Delaware North in the Parks and Resorts division, a global leader in hospitality and food service.

Tom Seaman

is fresh group leader at Giant Eagle Market District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the cooking school staff. Tom holds a B.A. in Hotel and Restaurant Management and has been with Giant Eagle since 2005.

’01

Chris Knightly

is a banquet chef at Omni William Penn in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which is famous for its award-winning cuisine.

’05

Shelly Orozco-Marrs

is chef of the Village Summit at University of Georgia Food Services. There, she serves 4,000 or more customers a day in a modern university food service operation.

’06

Rosie Gerard

is pastry chef at Wine Cask Restaurant in Santa Barbara, California. Wine Cask specializes in great food featuring the freshest local ingredients and an extensive wine list.

’07

Kelsey Rebuck

is head baker and assistant manager at Papa J's Ristorante in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. The restaurant specializes in “beautiful food simply prepared to be shared with family and friends.”

’08

Erin Reed

is a pastry cook at the Continental Midtown in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

’09

Robert Butler

is a cook at Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida. Robert received the Associate of the Quarter award.

Haylie Santoro

is a pastry chef at Hilton Garden Inn- SouthPointe in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. She makes everything from breakfast pastries and cookies to buffet-style and plated desserts for up to 1,000 people.

“I did my externship in Asheville, N.C., at the Biltmore Estate. It was a great experience, and I worked there for nearly two years! I then moved back to Pennsylvania and got a job at a Hilton Garden Inn as a pastry chef. I work for the banquet side of the kitchen and make everything from breakfast pastries and cookies to gourmet cupcakes and plated desserts for up to 1,000 people. The people I work with/for are awesome, and this is a great company to work for.”

’10

Zack Buchholz

is a cook at Stable Café at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The Stable Café is located in an historic building that was transformed from a noneteenth-century stable into a fascinating restaurant where guests dine on traditional Southern fare in a comfortable setting.

“Basically, food is my passion. Just cooking every day...it’s amazing.”

Selina Gruber

is a garde manger and pastry cook at Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina. She also does weddings and banquets as part of her position there.

Alex Brown

is a cook II at Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa in Bedford, Pennsylvania. He works at the 1796 Room, an upscale signature steak and chophouse. Omni Bedford Springs is a four-diamond resort and a national historic landmark.

Kathryn Benson

is a pastry cook I at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The Biltmore has a four-star inn and an award-winning winery, six restaurants, and event and meeting venues.

“I enjoy having to change the menu for the seasons because it helps me learn more about foods that I haven’t worked with very much before and how to adjust to changes and solve problems that arise.”

]]>Culinary Student Cleis Awarded Ricupero Scholarshiphttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=113230&blogid=3403
Culinary Arts student Alexandra Cleis was awarded the Tony and Emma Ricupero Memorial Rustic Lodge Scholarship on June 8, 2011.
Cleis was selected to receive the $1,200 scholarship based on her outstanding academic performance and her exemplary service to the culinary profession, the community, and the university.]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2011-07-25T19:24:56Z

Cleis was selected to receive the $1,200 scholarship based on her outstanding academic performance and her exemplary service to the culinary profession, the community, and the university.

A graduate of Chartiers Valley High School in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, Alexandra attended the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh prior to starting classes in the Culinary Arts program at IUP. She will be continuing into IUP’s second-year Baking and Pastry Arts program in the fall.

While studying culinary arts at IUP, Alexandra has worked as a student ambassador at culinary open houses. She is also employed as a community assistant in the Fairman Centre for IUP’s Office of Housing and Residential Life.

On July 5, 1945, Tony and Emma Ricupero opened the doors of the Rustic Lodge and created a family business that has grown into one of the most prominent and beloved institutions in Indiana and the surrounding community.

Tony and Emma Ricupero devoted their life to their family and their business. Their tireless efforts involved every aspect of the Rustic Lodge, from clearing the wooded lot for their business to making the tomato sauce, baking the breads and pastries, and sewing tablecloths.

This scholarship, which provides financial assistance to talented and deserving students enrolled at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, was established by the family to “honor Tony and Emma Ricupero, whose lives embodied the ethos of the food service industry—hard work, quality service, customer satisfaction, and service to the community.”

]]>Culinary Alumni Class Notes for June 2011https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=110774&blogid=3403
Culinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news:
If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes news post.]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2011-06-13T16:17:52ZCulinary and Baking graduates of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts have many success stories to share. Here is our latest alumni news:

’98

Heidi May

is executive chef at Bel-Aire Clarion Hotel in Erie, Pennsylvania. She is in charge of a “small but mighty staff,” and oversees the banquet department and Victor’s Restaurant.

’00

Kelly Jack

is the catering supervisor at Parkhurst Dining Services at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. His catering services offer the highest quality, freshest ingredients with an emphasis on using food from local farms and artisans.

’08

Jessica Connerby

Pete Tolman

is a gourmet chef at Market District, a Giant Eagle corporation. Market District offers a unique culinary, dining, and shopping experience featuring food from around the world, live cooking demonstrations, and celebrity chef appearances.

Heidi Miller

is head baker at Sweet Tammy’s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sweet Tammy’s is a kosher/non-dairy bakery located in Squirrel Hill.

’10

Daniel Diller

is a sous chef and pastry chef at U.S. Hotel and Tavern in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. The hotel dates back to 1835 and offers four beautifully restored restaurants.

Jillian MacPherson

is a pastry cook II at the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina. The Biltmore is a four-star resort and ranks in the top ten of America’s Favorite Architecture.

Kelly Rainey

is a cook II at Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida. Kelly works at the Galley Restaurant, a fun restaurant with a nautical atmosphere. The Galley is open for dinner only. Specialties include fresh fish, delicious pasta dishes, and pizzas cooked in the wood-burning oven.

Jason Shafer

is a cook II at Bear Creek Mountain Resort and Conference Center in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Ryan Troia

is a cook at the upscale Andora Restaurant in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. The menu features a twist on the food of Andorra, a country in southwest Europe.

]]>Culinary Student Hatheway Awarded ACF Scholarshiphttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=110770&blogid=3403
Culinary Arts student Jessica Hatheway was awarded a $500 scholarship from the ACF Groundhog Chapter on June 8, 2011.
Hatheway was selected as the scholarship winner based on her exemplary service to the culinary profession, the community, and the university.
A graduate of Fox Chapel Area High School in Alleg]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2011-06-13T15:29:51ZCulinary Arts student Jessica Hatheway was awarded a $500 scholarship from the ACF Groundhog Chapter on June 8, 2011.

Hatheway was selected as the scholarship winner based on her exemplary service to the culinary profession, the community, and the university.

A graduate of Fox Chapel Area High School in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Jessica attended culinary classes at A.W. Beattie Career Center and was an active participant in FCCLA and SkillsUSA prior to starting classes at IUP.

While studying culinary arts at IUP, Jessica has worked as a student ambassador at culinary open houses, assisted culinary faculty with cookoffs and fund-raisers, and participated on the setup and cleanup crews for student club events.

]]>Alumna MacPherson Presents Plated and Whole Dessertshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=110580&blogid=3403
Jillian MacPherson, a 2010 graduate of the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts program at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts , was the featured speaker on June 8, 2011, at the American Culinary Federation Groundhog Chapter in Punxsutwney, Pa.
MacPherson’s presentation, entitled, “Plated and Whole Desserts,” ]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2011-06-09T16:23:52Z

She has accepted a position at the Biltmore, in Asheville, N.C., and will begin her employment at the four-star, four-diamond resort property in July.

]]>Exclusive Key Largo Club Recognizes IUP Culinary Studentshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=108367&blogid=3403
The Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla., held the annual Culinary Student Dinner on April 13, 2011. On this day, the menu featured gourmet appetizers, entrees, and desserts prepared by Ocean Reef culinary students, including eight from IUP, for the club’s board of directors.
This event celebrates the end of the c]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2011-04-18T18:37:35Z

The Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla., held the annual Culinary Student Dinner on April 13, 2011. On this day, the menu featured gourmet appetizers, entrees, and desserts prepared by Ocean Reef culinary students, including eight from IUP, for the club’s board of directors.

This event celebrates the end of the club season and gives the club members an opportunity to recognize the hard work and accomplishments of the Ocean Reef Club culinary students.

IUP culinary externship students Daniel Thomas, Brooke Pellegrine, Shane Burrell, Kelly Rainey, Ryan Troia, Tyler Wood, John Miller, and Jeremy Reach represented eight out of the twelve culinary students selected by the club to prepare this gala dinner.

Chef Philippe Reynaud, senior director of culinary operation at the Ocean Reef Club, reported, “The dinner went very well. Students were asked to introduce themselves and describe their dish. They all received a certificate of appreciation in front of a standing ovation. They are the future of American culinary!”

The Ocean Reef Club is located at the northern tip of the northernmost island in the Florida Keys. It is ranked the number-two private club in the United States.

Chef Reynaud is responsible for the culinary operations of twelve restaurants, conference banquets, members’ catering, and special culinary events within the club. He manages more than 120 culinary associates and chefs in season. Reynaud has traveled to the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts for the past twelve years to recruit culinary externs for the Ocean Reef Club.

]]>Culinary Students Raise Funds for the Red Crosshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=107945&blogid=3403
Culinary and Baking students from the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts canvassed downtown Punxsutawney on March 26, 2011, to raise funds for the Clearfield-Jefferson chapter of the American Red Cross.
Twenty-eight students participated in the fund-raiser along with chef instructors Martha Jo Rupert and Anthony Ba]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2011-04-07T20:47:34Z

Culinary and Baking students from the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts canvassed downtown Punxsutawney on March 26, 2011, to raise funds for the Clearfield-Jefferson chapter of the American Red Cross.

Twenty-eight students participated in the fund-raiser along with chef instructors Martha Jo Rupert and Anthony Battaglia. The students collected $1,640 for the Red Cross.

Photo courtesy of Larry McGuire/Punxsutawney Spirit

]]>Culinary School Open House on Saturday, April 9https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=107757&blogid=3403
You still have time to register for the IUP Culinary and Baking Open House visit program on Saturday, April 9, 2011.
This fun and fast-paced program will introduce you to the culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, culinary dietetics, and culinary/hospitality management majors at IUP.
Tour our culinary teac]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2011-04-05T15:03:16ZYou still have time to register for the IUP Culinary and Baking Open House visit program on Saturday, April 9, 2011.

This fun and fast-paced program will introduce you to the culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, culinary dietetics, and culinary/hospitality management majors at IUP.

]]>Culinary and Baking Students Interview with Executive Chefshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=107628&blogid=3403
It's time for the annual Sponsor Fair at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts!
From March 28 through April 18, 2011, executive chefs from some of the most prestigious employers in the hospitality industry are traveling to the Academy to interview students for externship positions.
The following employers are partici]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2011-03-30T18:38:08ZIt's time for the annual Sponsor Fair at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts!

From March 28 through April 18, 2011, executive chefs from some of the most prestigious employers in the hospitality industry are traveling to the Academy to interview students for externship positions.

Each of these food industry employers generously devotes an entire day to the students. Chefs begin their visit with a presentation about the properties that they represent. Students learn about the culinary operations, employment requirements, and benefits offered at each site. They also have an opportunity to hear the chefs talk about their personal careers and how the decisions they made as young culinarians shaped their professional development.

Our visiting chefs spend the remainder of their day interviewing students for culinary and baking externship positions.

This event provides an exceptional opportunity for IUP culinary students to meet and interview on campus with some of the most successful chefs in the culinary industry. The presentations and interviews leave students energized and focused on their long-term goals of gaining quality placement and employment. The majority of students who interview at the Sponsor Fair will have a job offer in hand within a few weeks after the conclusion of the fair!

]]>Chocolate and Sugar Art Demonstrated by the Breakers, Palm Beach Chefshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=107367&blogid=3403
Watch Joshua Rhodes ’07 as he assists the Breakers’ executive chef of banquets, Jeff Simms, demonstrate the creation of the Grand Marnier Chocolate Mousse Tower with Raspberry Sorbet dessert.
This dessert was the delicious finale for the 2011 Muse Awards dinner on February 10, 2011, in Palm Beach, Fla.
The ]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2011-03-23T12:48:01Z

This dessert was the delicious finale for the 2011 Muse Awards dinner on February 10, 2011, in Palm Beach, Fla.

The Breakers is a AAA Five Diamond oceanfront resort in Palm Beach, Fla., and was a sponsor of the Muse Awards, an annual cultural event that honors outstanding individuals and organizations for their contributions to arts and culture throughout Palm Beach County.

A graduate of the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts program at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, Joshua Rhodes first arrived at the Breakers in the summer of 2007, when he began his culinary and baking externship. After graduating from the academy, he was offered a permanent position at the Breakers. He has been at the luxury property ever since. Joshua is currently a pastry cook at the property, which has nine distinctive restaurants and a banquet kitchen. He enjoys using his technical and design skills to create artistic cakes, pastries, and desserts.

Rhodes will be the guest speaker at the 2011 IUP Baking and Pastry Arts Toque Ceremony. This graduation ceremony, at which culinary students are presented with the toque (tall chef hat), recognizes the students’ successful completion of the Baking and Pastry Arts on-campus coursework and celebrates the industry externships to which they will be reporting shortly.

]]>IUP Chefs to Demo at Good Taste Pittsburgh Food Showhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=102173&blogid=3403
Come see Academy of Culinary Arts faculty members Lynn Pike and John Kapusta on Saturday, November 6, 2010, at the Good Taste Pittsburgh Food Show .
“Slow Cooking, One Pot Pleasers” will be presented by Chefs Pike and Kapusta on the Flavors of Pittsburgh Stage at 11:00 a.m. Learn to slowcook unconventional ]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2010-11-04T16:59:38ZCome see Academy of Culinary Arts faculty members Lynn Pike and John Kapusta on Saturday, November 6, 2010, at the Good Taste Pittsburgh Food Show.

“Slow Cooking, One Pot Pleasers” will be presented by Chefs Pike and Kapusta on the Flavors of Pittsburgh Stage at 11:00 a.m. Learn to slowcook unconventional foods, and get tips on how to save precious time in the kitchen without sacrificing full flavor and nutrition!

Good Taste Pittsburgh is western Pennsylvania’s largest food show and cooking demonstration event. Enjoy food samplings, wine tastings and sales, cooking demonstrations, celebrity book signings, and more.

]]>Nemacolin Exec Chef Wertz Inspires Culinary Grads in Keynote Speechhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=98463&blogid=3403
On Saturday, August 7, 2010, Brent E. Wertz, vice president of Food and Beverage and executive chef at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort , was the keynote speaker at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Toque ceremony. This graduation ceremony, where culinary students are presented with the toque (tall chef hat) for the first]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2010-08-17T16:46:24ZOn Saturday, August 7, 2010, Brent E. Wertz, vice president of Food and Beverage and executive chef at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, was the keynote speaker at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Toque ceremony. This graduation ceremony, where culinary students are presented with the toque (tall chef hat) for the first time, recognizes the students’ successful completion of the culinary arts on-campus coursework and celebrates the industry externships they will shortly be reporting to.

Drawing from his extensive background, Chef Wertz talked about his professional experiences in the food service industry, and shared career and life advice with the students. He enthusiastically told the students that “there are unlimited possibilities in today’s culinary world” and “there is no better catalyst for success than curiosity.” Chef Wertz commended students for their work ethic, and confided that he enjoys recruiting at IUP because he finds motivated culinarians willing to give 110 percent.

At Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Chef Brent Wertz oversees the culinary operations of fourteen food and beverage outlets, including the Five Star, Five Diamond Lautrec. Chef Wertz is a certified executive chef and member of the prestigious American Academy of Chefs in the American Culinary Federation. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1987 with high honors. In addition, he currently serves as the president of the elite Resort Food Executive Committee.

Prior to joining Nemacolin in March of 2010, Chef Wertz was vice president of Food and Beverage at Kingsmill Resort and Spa in Williamsburg, Virginia, for eight years. His culinary resume chronicles over two decades of experience at four- and five-star resorts across the country. In addition to Nemacolin and Kingsmill, his employers include Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California; the Arizona Biltmore; the Boulders Resort in Carefree, Arizona; the Equinox Resort and Spa in Manchester, Vermont; the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland; the Tidewater Inn in eastern Maryland; and Mohonk Mountain House in New York.

Chef Wertz’s inspirational address was the perfect send-off to IUP culinary arts students as they begin their own professional experiences at properties all across the U.S. and in Switzerland. The employers that have hired IUP culinary arts students for externship positions in 2010 are listed below:

Three students have chosen to continue their culinary education at the DCT University Center in Lucerne, Switzerland. These students will complete their externships in Switzerland in 2011.

]]>Culinary Academy Demos Fast, Fresh, Nutritious Recipes at Farmers’ Markethttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=97052&blogid=3403
During the month of July 2010, faculty and students from the Academy of Culinary Arts are appearing at the Friday farmers’ market in Punxsutawney.
In an effort to support local growers and to increase community awareness of healthy cooking and eating choices, chef instructors Martha Rupert , Lynn Pike , and An]]>Marilyn R. Kukula2010-07-23T16:08:37ZDuring the month of July 2010, faculty and students from the Academy of Culinary Arts are appearing at the Friday farmers’ market in Punxsutawney.

In an effort to support local growers and to increase community awareness of healthy cooking and eating choices, chef instructors Martha Rupert, Lynn Pike, and Anthony Battaglia and a team of Culinary Arts students are sharing recipes and cooking tips at the farmers’ market. Demonstrations include how to prepare and serve fresh produce and will feature different local products and recipes at each market.

The Punxsutawney Farmers’ Market is held on South Findley Street in the downtown area every Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and will continue through the last Friday of September. The farmers’ market is sponsored by PRIDE, Punxsutawney’s downtown revitalization organization.

]]>Heidi Miller ’08 Wins Again at Pittsburgh Culinary Eventhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=96111&blogid=3403
Heidi Miller, a 2008 graduate of the Academy of Culinary Arts , won three awards in Pittsburgh’s premier cake decorating and tasting competition “Let Them Eat Cake!” The black-tie event was held at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh on April 25, 2010.
Miller submitted an entry for her employer, Vanilla Pastry S]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2010-06-25T20:21:44ZHeidi Miller, a 2008 graduate of the Academy of Culinary Arts, won three awards in Pittsburgh’s premier cake decorating and tasting competition “Let Them Eat Cake!” The black-tie event was held at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh on April 25, 2010.

Miller submitted an entry for her employer, Vanilla Pastry Studio of Pittsburgh. Her cake, “Let It Grow,” received the award for Best Overall Professional Decorated Cake. Heidi’s entry also received the Judges’ Award for Best Artistic Design and Overall Structure and the Judges’ Award for Best Use of Decorative Elements.

This is the second year that Heidi has participated in the competition. In 2009, her creation titled “Green Apples” won awards for Best Professionally Decorated Cake and Best Cake Overall.

Read more about the “Let Them Eat Cake” event in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and in the summer issue of Pittsburgh’s Table Magazine.

]]>Executive Chefs Visit IUP to Recruit Culinary Studentshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=92857&blogid=3403
From March 31 through April 19, 2010, the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts continues the tradition of hosting our annual Sponsor Fair. Executive chefs and human resource representatives from some of the most luxurious resort sites in the United States are traveling to Punxsutawney to meet with culinary and baking students.]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2010-04-07T16:11:38ZFrom March 31 through April 19, 2010, the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts continues the tradition of hosting our annual Sponsor Fair. Executive chefs and human resource representatives from some of the most luxurious resort sites in the United States are traveling to Punxsutawney to meet with culinary and baking students.

Over the course of three weeks, we will host a different property each day. The impressive list of employers attending the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Sponsor Fair this year includes:

The Biltmore Company, Asheville, N.C.

The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.V.

Hershey Resorts, Hershey, Pa.

Kingsmill Resort and Spa, Williamsburg, Va.

The Marriott, Marco Island, Marco Island, Fla.

The Marriott, New Orleans, New Orleans, La.

Mountain Air Country Club, Burnesville, N.C.

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, Pa.

Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, Fla.

Penn State Food Services, State College, Pa.

Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, The Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

Each of these food industry employers generously devotes an entire day to the Academy of Culinary Arts. Chefs talk to students about the properties that they represent and also about their own careers and how the decisions they made as young culinarians shaped their professional development. Human resource staff follow with an overview of the employment requirements and benefits offered by the sites.

Our visiting chefs and human resource personnel spend the remainder of their day interviewing students for culinary and baking externship positions.

This event provides an exceptional opportunity for IUP culinary students to meet and interview on campus with some of the most successful chefs in the culinary industry.

The presentations and interviews leave students energized and focused on their long-term goals of gaining quality placement and employment. The majority of students who interview at the Sponsor Far will have a job offer in hand within a few weeks after the conslusion of the fair! Read more about these properties and additional externship opportunities for culinary students at IUP.

]]>Pittsburgh Culinary Career Day Features IUP Chef Klingerhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=90529&blogid=3403
IUP faculty member Chef Clifford Klinger is a featured presenter at the 2010 Pittsburgh Culinary Career Day, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Tourism and Lodging Association.
Scheduled for Tuesday, March 23, 2010, at the Holiday Inn Pittsburgh Airport, Pittsburgh Culinary Career Day features culinary demonstrations a]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2010-02-12T18:17:31Z

IUP faculty member Chef Clifford Klinger is a featured presenter at the 2010 Pittsburgh Culinary Career Day, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Tourism and Lodging Association.

Scheduled for Tuesday, March 23, 2010, at the Holiday Inn Pittsburgh Airport, Pittsburgh Culinary Career Day features culinary demonstrations and speakers from the hospitality industry. High school students and teachers from all over western Pennsylvania will have the opportunity to watch food preparation techniques, learn about culinary careers, network with chefs, and get information about postsecondary culinary school opportunities.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Chef Klinger serves on the academic advisory boards for Jefferson County Technology Center, Indiana County Technology Center, Lenape Vocational Technical School, Clearfield County Technology Center, and Mercer County Career Center. He is also a strong supporter of student culinary competition and has judged the following events: 2007 Pennsylvania SkillsUSA State Competition and ProStart Student Invitational competitions in Wyoming 2008 and 2009 and Ohio in 2009.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts is recognized nationwide for its quality. We offer a student-to-instructor ratio of only 14-to-1, world-class chefs for instructors, and job placement that is among the best in the nation. The academy is fully accredited by the American Culinary Federation.

]]>Culinary Students Carve Ice for Groundhog Day Celebrationhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=90423&blogid=3403
“Six more weeks of winter.” And the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Ice Carving Club approves!
On Monday, February 1, 2010, the Academy of Culinary Arts hosted Punxsutawney’s sixth annual Chili and Wing Cook-off. In honor of this event and Groundhog Day, culinary students who are members of the IUP Academy of Culin]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2010-02-09T20:53:53Z

“Six more weeks of winter.” And the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Ice Carving Club approves!

On Monday, February 1, 2010, the Academy of Culinary Arts hosted Punxsutawney’s sixth annual Chili and Wing Cook-off. In honor of this event and Groundhog Day, culinary students who are members of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Ice Carving Club spent two Saturdays working on special carvings to display in and around the academy and downtown Punxsutawney. Created from multiple blocks of ice, these carvings looked spectacular when finally assembled.

An icy display of top hats and canes held high on a celebration wave was placed downtown in front of IUP’s Fairman Centre. A “hot chili pepper” carving graced the inside of the academy building while serving as a fun mascot for a jalapeno pepper eating contest held during the cook-off event.

Outside the academy, the main display featured Punxsutawney Phil emerging from Gobbler’s Knob to greet his visitors. On Phil’s right side, representing six more weeks of winter, are six ice pillars holding finely detailed snowflakes. To Phil’s left, six daisy-topped ice pillars represent an early spring prognostication.

The Ice Carving Club is a student organization sponsored by the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. Culinary students carve ice monthly during the school year. IUP provides all equipment and ice; Culinary Arts faculty member Martha J. Rupert serves as the Ice Carving Club advisor. The club was first organized in 1992 by Culinary Arts alumnus Jeremy Critchfield ’93. The academy is one of a limited number of culinary schools to offer ice carving instruction.

The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts was opened in 1989 and is fully accredited by the American Culinary Federation. The academy’s programs are recognized nationally for high quality, and graduates are working in four- and five-diamond resorts and restaurants all across the nation.

Come visit Punxsutawney soon, and look around town for the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Ice Carving Club’s next carving demonstration and display for Valentine’s weekend!

]]>“National Culinary Review” Recognizes Wutschhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=89662&blogid=3403
Culinary Arts department chairperson Albert Wutsch is listed in the National Culinary Review’s “Toast to the Outstanding Contributors of the Culinary World and Beyond.”
Chef Wutsch is recognized in the January 2010 edition of the American Culinary Federation’s official magazine for his participation as a j]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2010-01-26T18:01:53Z

Culinary Arts department chairperson Albert Wutsch is listed in the National Culinary Review’s “Toast to the Outstanding Contributors of the Culinary World and Beyond.”

Chef Wutsch is recognized in the January 2010 edition of the American Culinary Federation’s official magazine for his participation as a judge at the 2009 National ProStart Invitational (pictured at left). This prestigious culinary completion for high school students took place in San Diego and was recently featured in a Food Network special, Top of the Class.

]]>“Sizzle” Magazine Highlights IUP Culinary Study Abroad Experiencehttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=89643&blogid=3403
In the current edition of Sizzle , the American Culinary Federation’s quarterly for students of cooking, the benefits of studying abroad are discussed in the article “Taste the World.”
Author Suzanne Hall talked to faculty members, students, and alumni from several U.S. and international cooking schools. Among th]]>Mr. Bruce V. Dries2010-01-25T20:53:11ZIn the current edition of Sizzle, the American Culinary Federation’s quarterly for students of cooking, the benefits of studying abroad are discussed in the article “Taste the World.”

Author Suzanne Hall talked to faculty members, students, and alumni from several U.S. and international cooking schools. Among those interviewed were IUP faculty member Gary Fitting and director and chef instructor Patrick Diethelm from DCT University Center in Vitznau, Switzerland, the host of IUP’s international study program in Switzerland.

Also interviewed were IUP Culinary Academy alumni Jeffrey Miller ’08 and Elizabeth Williams ’09. Miller and Williams participated in IUP’s Swiss study tour and the year-long international culinary program and externship in Switzerland at DCT.

Here is a sample from the article:

“Culinary school teaches the basics, but working with foreign chefs provides the passion. Swiss chefs, for instance, can talk about food all day and all night,” says Gary Fitting, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, chef instructor at the Academy of Culinary Arts at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Patrick Diethelm, director and head chef instructor at the Hospitality Leadership and European Culinary Arts Center at DCT University Center in Vitznau, Switzerland, believes that students who study a cuisine at its origins benefit from a more complete understanding of the overall culture and “are better equipped to make their personal variations to the dish.”

For one week each March, about two dozen students from IUP take in the cuisine and culture of Switzerland. They attend classes at DCT, visit a producer of Switzerland’s famed Emmentaler cheese, and travel to other culinary and historic sites throughout the country. For program alumnus Jeff Miller, the brief introduction to Switzerland encouraged him to go back for a full year, studying at DCT and externing at a hotel in the area. He believes that the knowledge and experience he gained gave him a leg up when it came to landing his current position as a cook at Patrick O’Connell’s The Inn at Little Washington, Washington, Virginia. There, Miller put his Swiss training to work, starting as the overnight baker and then becoming the butcher.

Like Miller, Liz Williams also decided to take a year to study at DCT in Switzerland and complete her externship. She advises students planning to study abroad to talk with someone who has been there. That person could be a resource as the student packs and prepares for the time away from home. “Also you should try to learn as much of the language as you can. That’s especially important when you move from the classroom to the workplace,” Williams said, noting that she learned a lot during her sojourn in Switzerland. Among the most important was how to work with a wide variety of people and to have confidence in herself.

]]>Academy of Culinary Arts Is Featured Cooking Schoolhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=89203&blogid=3403
Fast Recipes , the on line culinary arts publication and cooking community, recently interviewed Chef Albert Wutsch , chairperson of the Department of Culinary Arts , about the advantages offered by the culinary program at IUP.
The academy is currently the featured cooking school on the Fast Recipes website]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2010-01-11T19:15:05Z

Fast Recipes, the on line culinary arts publication and cooking community, recently interviewed Chef Albert Wutsch, chairperson of the Department of Culinary Arts, about the advantages offered by the culinary program at IUP.

The academy is currently the featured cooking school on the Fast Recipes website.

Here is a sample:

Fast Recipes: What makes the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts special?

Chef Wutsch: We are more career-driven and outcome-based as evidenced by our strong record of job placements at four- and five-diamond properties each year. We also are very competitively priced, with a total program cost that is under $25,000.

See the Fast Recipes website for the full interview. Fast Recipes covers news and trends in the culinary world and also offers readers recipes, cooking guides, and food history.

]]>Culinary Academy Student Services Coordinator Receives Leadership Awardhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=86531&blogid=3403
The Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (PASFAA) has presented Mysti Dinger, Student Services coordinator for the Academy of Culinary Arts , with the Emerging Leader Award.
The award recognizes consistent service to and involvement in PASFAA and is one of four awards given out to PASFA]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2009-10-20T19:25:55ZThe Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (PASFAA) has presented Mysti Dinger, Student Services coordinator for the Academy of Culinary Arts, with the Emerging Leader Award.

The award recognizes consistent service to and involvement in PASFAA and is one of four awards given out to PASFAA members at the group’s annual conference.

]]>Culinary Arts Alumna Metcalfe ’92 Leads Culinary Team at G-20https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=85034&blogid=3403
As executive chef for Levy Restaurants at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh, Culinary Arts alumna Dominique Metcalfe is creating the cuisine that feeds the leaders, staff, and media from countries around the world who are attending the G-20 economic summit.
Metcalfe and her culinar]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2009-09-25T17:34:15Z

As executive chef for Levy Restaurants at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh, Culinary Arts alumna Dominique Metcalfe is creating the cuisine that feeds the leaders, staff, and media from countries around the world who are attending the G-20 economic summit.

Metcalfe and her culinary team, which includes chefs on loan from Levy properties in Chicago, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh’s own PNC Park, will serve approximately four thousand guests a day in a variety of venues from casual box lunches to formal buffets.

Passionate about using the freshest ingredients possible, Chef Metcalfe will feature local produce, meats, and dairy items as well as items grown in the convention center’s rooftop garden in her G-20 menus.

Read the full article on the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website: “Pittsburgh Chefs Set Table for Leaders of the World.”

]]>Fitting Awarded President’s Medallion at 2009 ACF National Conventionhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=83519&blogid=3403
Culinary Arts faculty member Gary Fitting, C.E.C., C.C.E., C.C.A., A.A.C., received the ACF President’s Medallion at the 2009 ACF National Convention in Orlando, Florida, where he was one of twenty-three people recognized for service to the American Culinary Federation and the culinary profession.
Chef Fitting i]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2009-08-27T21:18:42Z

Culinary Arts faculty member Gary Fitting, C.E.C., C.C.E., C.C.A., A.A.C., received the ACF President’s Medallion at the 2009 ACF National Convention in Orlando, Florida, where he was one of twenty-three people recognized for service to the American Culinary Federation and the culinary profession.

Chef Fitting is an active member of the American Culinary Federation. He assisted in the development of the ACF requirements for the Culinary Administrator certification. Chef also dedicates time to scholarship development for culinary students through his local ACF chapter and through the American Academy of Chefs.

The American Culinary Federation (ACF) is an organization based on promoting the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education of culinarians at all levels. As the largest professional chefs’ organization in North America, the ACF is made up of more than 22,000 members that belong to more than 230 chapters in four regions across the U.S.

The ACF President’s Medallion was introduced in 1991 to honor individuals who contribute significantly to the culinary profession.

]]>Executive Chef Michael Herr CA’97 to Speak at Culinary Graduationhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=80417&blogid=3403
Chef Michael Herr, 1997 Culinary Arts graduate and 2003 graduate of the Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management program, will be the honorary guest speaker at the Culinary Arts graduation ceremony on August 8, 2009.
Herr, age thirty-one, is currently executive chef at The Country Club of St. Albans, a pr]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2009-07-21T17:58:03Z

Chef Michael Herr, 1997 Culinary Arts graduate and 2003 graduate of the Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management program, will be the honorary guest speaker at the Culinary Arts graduation ceremony on August 8, 2009.

Herr, age thirty-one, is currently executive chef at The Country Club of St. Albans, a prestigious Platinum Club of America in the scenic village of St. Albans, Missouri. A full-service, private country club, CCSA currently has a membership of seven hundred, who enjoy championship golf courses, luxurious club facilities, and an extensive variety of social events. The Country Club of St. Albans is regarded as a club of distinction and was ranked in 2007 as seventy-fourth in the nation out of six thousand private clubs. Herr oversees all food outlets on the property as well as all banquets, member carry-out dining, off-site catering, and club special events including social, golf, swim, children’s camp, and tennis events.

Chef Herr began his professional career in 1997 as an extern at the prestigious Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh. He apprenticed with renowned Executive Chef Keith Coughenour. Within two years, Michael achieved the position of P.M. senior saucier and P.M rotisserie chef. He remained at the Duquesne Club one more year before he decided, after encouragement by Chef Coughenour, to return to IUP to complete his bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management.

After graduation from HRIM in 2003, Herr was hired as a saucier at Pinehurst Golf Resort and Country Club in Pinehurst, N.C. He was promoted to senior sous chef three months after he started at the property. Chef Herr’s next career move was to sous chef at the award-winning, AAA Five-Diamond Ritz-Carlton in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. After a brief but successful tenure at the Georgetown property, he was promoted to chef de cuisine of Century Restaurant at Ritz-Carlton in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2004. Chef Herr joined St. Albans in late 2005 to take on the position of executive sous chef. He was promoted to executive chef in 2007.

In addition to his successful culinary career, Chef Herr has also attained many professional awards of distinction, including several gold and silver medals and best of show titles from the American Culinary Federation. Most recently, Chef Herr competed in the Fall 2006 Chef de Cuisine Culinary Competition (St. Louis ACF Chapter) and earned a gold medal and best of show.

On Toque Day (so named because culinary graduates will receive their chef hats, or toques), Chef Herr promises to share many of his experiences with this year’s graduating class and to encourage the class to maintain the personal goal of excellence that has distinguished so many previous IUP Culinary Arts graduates.

]]>Baking and Pastry Alumna Miller Wins Two Awards for Pittsburgh’s Vanilla Pastry Studiohttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=78009&blogid=3403
Table Magazine]]>Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2009-06-16T17:44:15ZHeidi Miller, a 2008 graduate of IUP’s Baking and Pastry Arts Program, won two awards in Pittsburgh’s premier cake decorating and tasting contest “Let Them Eat Cake!” The contest was held at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh on the North Side on April 4, 2009.

Miller submitted an entry for her employer, Vanilla Pastry Studio of Pittsburgh, and received awards for Best Professionally Decorated Cake and Best Cake Overall. Her creation was titled “Green Apples.”

The theme for this year's black-tie event was “Going Green is a Piece of Cake.” Besides cake judging, the event featured “green” baking demonstrations, environmentally friendly silent auction items, music, cake tasting, and refreshments. Proceeds benefited the Midwife Center for Birth and Women’s Health, which assists underinsured women in the Pittsburgh area.

Heidi and her award-winning cake are also featured in the summer issue of Pittsburgh’s Table Magazine.

]]>Baking and Pastry Arts Award Ceremonyhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=77185&blogid=3403
Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2009-06-01T21:03:25ZThe IUP Academy of Culinary Arts held the annual Baking and Pastry Arts Award Ceremony on Saturday, May 2, 2009. Members of the Baking and Pastry Arts Class of 2009 were recognized for their academic achievements and congratulated on their externship placements.

Guest speaker Chef Andrea Carros-Schrenk, president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Culinary Federation, gave the recognition address and began with the statement that “Pastry chefs are a special breed of food service professional. They are artisans and leaders.” Chef then commended the students on their “phenomenal education” and for having met the “challenge of being asked to go the extra mile by their instructors.” She reminded them of what an honor it was to have been selected to extern at such “high-level establishments all over the country.”

The audience also enjoyed speakers Dean Carleen Zoni, Chef Hilary DeMane, and class valedictorian Lisa Merrill. Baking and Pastry students in the class of 2009 are currently completing their externships in industry sites across the country:

]]>Nemacolin Woodlands Hosts IUP Studentshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=71599&blogid=3403
Culinary, Baking, and Hospitality Management students visited Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa in Farmington, Pennsylvania, for the annual IUPACA Sunday Brunch and resort tour on Sunday, March 29, 2009.
All guests were treated to an amazing brunch which included cheese and fruit displays, a shrimp and crab raw ba]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2009-04-08T15:24:57ZCulinary, Baking, and Hospitality Management students visited Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa in Farmington, Pennsylvania, for the annual IUPACA Sunday Brunch and resort tour on Sunday, March 29, 2009.

All guests were treated to an amazing brunch which included cheese and fruit displays, a shrimp and crab raw bar, grilled vegetables, salads, bacon, sausage, and ham as well as Eggs Benedict, cheese blintzes, pecan trout, garlic rotisserie chicken, prime rib, and many other side dishes and desserts.

Jeremy Critchfield ’93, executive chef and director of Food and Beverage Operations at Nemacolin and four of his chefs, including Sean Eckman ’01 and Dan Mungeer ’02, gave students a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour. One of the most impressive stops was at Nemacolin’s premier French restaurant, Lautrec. Lautrec received the coveted Mobil Travel award of Five Stars this year, placing it among a group of only twenty properties in the United States to receive the ranking.

The visit concluded with an open question and answer session. Each chef gave the audience a brief overview of their personal background and experience. They also shared their advice to students for achieving future success in the industry. Students then had a chance to ask questions of the chefs. Having a chance get career advice from Chef Critchfield and his staff after a day spent tasting gourmet food in a luxurious resort environment made the trip an experience that the students will likely never forget.

]]>Culinary Open Houses and Baking Buffet Tours: Delicious Ways to Learn About Culinary Majors at IUPhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=67303&blogid=3403
Are you interested in training to become a professional in the food industry? Come visit us this spring and learn how you can make your career dreams real!
At IUP we have multiple program options in culinary, baking, hospitality, nutrition, and dietetics. Visit us and get the facts.]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2009-02-18T15:01:44ZAre you interested in training to become a professional in the food industry? Come visit us this spring and learn how you can make your career dreams real!

At IUP we have multiple program options in culinary, baking, hospitality, nutrition, and dietetics. Visit us and get the facts. Culinary admissions programs will treat you to good food, good talk, and lots of information. Meet our faculty and students and see for yourself what our nationally recognized programs are all about. Check out Visit Us for more details.

]]>Culinary Alumnus Leads Lautrec to Mobil’s Coveted Five Star Rankinghttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=63949&blogid=3403
Lautrec , the highly acclaimed French restaurant at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa in Farmington, Pennsylvania, has been awarded the Mobil Travel Guide Five Star ranking. Lautrec is the only restaurant in the state of Pennsylvania to achieve the Five Star ranking for 2009. Having also been awarded the AAA Five Di]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2009-01-26T21:46:45ZLautrec, the highly acclaimed French restaurant at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa in Farmington, Pennsylvania, has been awarded the Mobil Travel Guide Five Star ranking. Lautrec is the only restaurant in the state of Pennsylvania to achieve the Five Star ranking for 2009. Having also been awarded the AAA Five Diamond rating for 2008 and again for 2009, Lautrec is one of only fourteen restaurants in the country to earn top ratings from both AAA and Mobil.

An IUP alumnus, Jeremy Critchfield ’93 is the executive chef and food and beverage director for Nemacolin and the architect of the award-winning culinary team in Lautrec. Asked to comment about Lautrec’s amazing achievement, Chef Critchfield says the vision for Lautrec was to “create a unique and unparalleled dining experience.” He believes the ratings signify the success of the vision and “recognize the remarkable efforts” of his staff."

Chef Critchfield has been the executive chef at Nemacolin since 2003. During his tenure, in addition to receiving the highest ratings from Mobil and AAA, the nation’s most rigorous hospitality evaluators, the resort’s restaurants have been regularly ranked among Pittsburgh’s best. Named to Pittsburgh’s Top 25 list every year since 2004, Nemacolin restaurants have also received multiple Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards from Pittsburgh Magazine.

Congratulations Chef Critchfield!

]]>Culinary Students and Chef Featured at Pennsylvania Farm Showhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=61747&blogid=3403
Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2009-01-05T18:46:07ZCulinary Arts students and chef instructor, Gary Fitting will be participating once again in the Culinary Connection Cooking Demonstrations at the Pennsylvania Farm Show on Saturday, January 10, 2009. With over 400,000 people in attendance each year, this show is one of the biggest and most exciting agricultural events in the country.

The students will be loading up the van with the necessary ingredients and tools and heading to the Farm Show Complex, located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, bright and early on Friday morning. Once they arrive, they will spend the day prepping all the recipes that they will cook on stage Saturday with the featured celebrity chefs.

Saturday is “Pork Day” at the Farm Show and kicks off with IUP culinary students demonstrating Pork Medallion Calvados. Throughout the day, the students will be working with different celebrity chefs doing demonstrations, cooking challenges and even dishing out samples!

The first celebrity the students will share the stage with is the Food Network’s Chris Cognac who will be cooking up Cuban Pork. Later on the students will assist Richard Blais, a contestant from the TV Show “Top Chef,” with a Pork Belly recipe.

The very last event of the day is always the students’ favorite. IUP students will compete in an iron-chef-style cooking challenge where two teams are given ingredients on stage that they are not prepared to work with! The competition is going to be a great learning experience for the students and a lot of fun for the audience!

If you love to watch celebrity chefs in action, would like to learn some new cooking techniques and enjoy tasting great food, think about coming out to the Farm Show this year!

]]>Culinary Students Carve Giant Ice Sliding Boardhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=60459&blogid=3403
Ice carving demonstrations at Ebensburg’s annual "Dickens of a Christmas" will never be the same! On the first Saturday in December, IUP culinary students and faculty carved a giant thirty-block ice sliding board. The crowd was wowed by the sheer size of the ice blocks and the demonstration of ice carving technique]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2008-12-11T20:22:27ZIce carving demonstrations at Ebensburg’s annual "Dickens of a Christmas" will never be the same! On the first Saturday in December, IUP culinary students and faculty carved a giant thirty-block ice sliding board. The crowd was wowed by the sheer size of the ice blocks and the demonstration of ice carving techniques. Once the carving was complete, kids and adults alike were treated to a cool slide down the board!

"Dickens of a Christmas" is held annally in Ebensburg, Pa. This family-oriented celebration is presented in a nineteenth-century setting based on Charles Dickens. The town of Ebensburg transforms into Victorian England where vendors, entertainers, and other participants are clad in period costumes.

The Ice Carving Club from the Academy of Culinary Arts at IUP has done a demonstration at the festival for the past three years.

]]>Sweet On-Campus Housing for IUP Culinary Studentshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=59903&blogid=3403
Thinking about attending the Academy of Culinary Arts this Fall? One of the choices you will have to make is where you would you like to live. Why not choose one of our state-of-the-art on-campus suites ? Residential living has never been better, and these are definitely NOT traditional “dorms!”
Enjoy your own pri]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2008-12-08T18:37:51ZThinking about attending the Academy of Culinary Arts this Fall? One of the choices you will have to make is where you would you like to live. Why not choose one of our state-of-the-art on-campus suites? Residential living has never been better, and these are definitely NOT traditional “dorms!”

Enjoy your own private bedroom (or a larger bedroom for two) and share a bathroom with only one other person. Bedroom amenities include bed, desk, dresser, and a large closet for each student. In addition, each bedroom has an individual lock for your security as well as high-speed Internet and cable. Bring your computer and television and you are ready to go!

No community bathrooms here! Each suite has two full bathrooms with separate sink and storage areas. Brush your teeth while your suitemate is taking a shower.

Like to hang out with your friends and suitemates? No problem. Each suite has a “living room” with couch, armchair, TV stand, end table, and coffee table along with cable and Internet access. The common area also includes a kitchenette with a full-size refrigerator, a microwave, and a pantry. What’s more, all of the suites have individually-controlled air conditioning and heating units. No need to worry about window or floor coverings either as every suite includes miniblinds and carpeting.

Living on campus brings countless opportunities to your doorstep. With a new world of neighbors, you can form close, lasting friendships with fellow students who share your interests. Our on-campus residences are designed to make gathering, studying, and socializing convenient. Everything you need is nearby.

Reservations for on-campus living will open soon for deposited Culinary Arts students. Be among the first to reserve a room in our Living Center on the Punxsutawney campus or in our brand new Fairman Centre (opening Fall 2009). Reservations will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Space is limited to sixty students.

]]>IUP Culinary Grad named Outstanding Teacher of the Yearhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=52389&blogid=3403
Ms. Enid E. Resenic2008-10-13T15:30:31ZChef Gregory Zaffuto is a 2001 graduate of the Academy of Culinary Arts and a culinary arts instructor at the Clearfield County Career and Technology Center.

Recently Chef Zaffuto was selected for the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award at the Clearfield County Career and Technology Center. Congratulations Chef Zaffuto!

Chef completed his externship at USA Gourmet in Pittsburgh and then worked for several years in the industry before he decided to try his hand at teaching. He has been at Clearfield County Career and Technology Center for five years and loves working with students.

In addition to his classroom teaching responsibilities, Chef Zaffuto instructs ServSafe certification courses and also teaches some adult courses in basic cooking. He is currently working on getting American Culinary Federation accreditation for the culinary arts program at Clearfield.

]]>Chefs Kapusta and Pike Have Full-day Presentations at Workshop on Nutritionhttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=49423&blogid=3403
Ms. Chelsea Jane Guerra2008-09-03T14:59:32ZChefs John Kapusta and Lynn Pike presented for a full day at the Family and Consumer Science Professional Development Workshop on Nutrition, held on IUP’s main campus and sponsored by the IUP Center for Career and Technical Personnel Preparation and the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Career and Technical Preparation. Their presentations, “The Perfect Pie” and “Healthy Marinating and Grilling Options,” were attended by Family and Consumer Science teachers from around the state.]]>Keynote Speaker Comes to IUP Having Worn Many Toqueshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=44675&blogid=3403
Chef Philippe Reynaud, executive director of Culinary Operations at the prestigious Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo Florida, was the honored keynote speaker at the 2008 IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Graduation (Toque) Ceremony.
French-born and classically trained, Chef Philippe graduated at the top of his class from]]>Ms. Rebecca J. Deremer2008-07-31T15:41:59ZChef Philippe Reynaud, executive director of Culinary Operations at the prestigious Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo Florida, was the honored keynote speaker at the 2008 IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Graduation (Toque) Ceremony.

French-born and classically trained, Chef Philippe graduated at the top of his class from the esteemed Culinary Academy of Nice in 1979. Following his graduation, he worked in several French provinces under reputable chefs to learn their cooking styles, techniques, and knowledge of regional cooking. In 1981, he began his professional life in the United States serving as executive chef at the award-winning Westwood Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles. He later opened and ran the kitchens of the renowned Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks California and the luxurious Stein Ericksen Lodge in Deer Valley, Utah. In 1991, Chef Philippe returned to Los Angeles and dedicated eight years to running the culinary operations at the exclusive Jonathan Club.

Since June 2000, Chef Philippe has been a member of the Ocean Reef Club elite managing team. He is responsible for the culinary operations of twelve restaurants, conference banquets, member’s catering, and special culinary events within the club. Chef Philippe oversees all menu development, hosts many visiting celebrity chefs, oversees and mentors extern students from top U.S. culinary schools, and manages over 120 culinary associates and chefs in season.

The students attending theToque Day ceremony were congratulated and inspired by Chef Philippe! Culinary graduates heard of Chef’s youth in France and how he developed his own passion for food and cooking. His realistic yet enthusiastic depiction of the challenges and rewards of being a chef served to remind our new culinarians of the tremendous opportunities for personal and professional growth that lie ahead.

The Ocean Reef Club and Chef Philippe are strong supporters of the Culinary Arts program at IUP. Chef regularly makes the annual trip to the Academy Sponsor Fair to recruit IUP culinary and baking students for externship positions at the club. The Ocean Reef Club and its members are also the sponsors of a $1,500 scholarship dedicated to incoming IUP culinary students called the Ocean Reef Recruiting Scholarship.

This year, eight IUP Academy of Culinary Arts students are headed to the Ocean Reef Club for externship positions!

Biographical information and photo is courtesy of the Ocean Reef Club.

Jeff, who is from Johnstown, Pa., is spending this year in Switzerland, where he attended DCT International Hotel and Business Management School for six months as part of IUP’s Swiss externship program.

He became certified in European Cuisine as well as European Pastry and Chocolates. He is currently completing his IUP externship at the prestigious, four-star Seehotel Kastanienbaum, located at the foot of the famous Mount Pilatus near Lucerne, Switzerland.

With breathtaking views of the lake and mountains, the property has restaurants which feature national and international cooking. Jeffrey is working in the restaurant for gourmets called Chrüztrichter, which specializes in seafood and French cuisine. Chrüztrichter has been awarded 15 points by Gault Millau, one of the most influential French restaurant guides. Gault Millau is most famous for its rating system, which evaluates restaurants on a scale of 1 to 20. Restaurants below 10 points are rarely listed. Points are awarded strictly based on the quality of the food, with any comments about service, price, or the atmosphere of the restaurantgiven separately.

Jeffery is working hard and performing well in Switzerland. He will return to the United States in the fall with impressive international experience to enhance his resume!

]]>It’s Still Possible to Attend Culinary School This Year!https://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=40499&blogid=3403
We still have a few seats available for the class beginning this fall.
The Academy offers a first-rate culinary education at a surprisingly affordable price. Our comprehensive program, with its multiple degree options and world-class chef instructors, can bring you one step closer to your future career as a profess]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2008-07-08T19:59:30ZWe still have a few seats available for the class beginning this fall.

The Academy offers a first-rate culinary education at a surprisingly affordable price. Our comprehensive program, with its multiple degree options and world-class chef instructors, can bring you one step closer to your future career as a professional in the food industry.

Don’t put your dreams on hold any longer! Apply on line or call us at 800-438-6424 or e-mail us at culinary-arts@iup.edu. Don’t delay! Fall 2008 classes begin August 25.

]]>High School Teachers and Counselors Invited for Dininghttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=36285&blogid=3403
Teachers and Counselors: join us for complimentary gourmet dining this summer !
We have one table per day reserved especially for educators. Bring up to three guests or come by yourself and we will seat you with other teachers and counselors. This is a great way to see the Academy of Culinary Arts for yourself an]]>Mr. Christopher Michael Brown2008-05-29T20:00:50Z

We have one table per day reserved especially for educators. Bring up to three guests or come by yourself and we will seat you with other teachers and counselors. This is a great way to see the Academy of Culinary Arts for yourself and learn more about the food-related majors that IUP can offer your students.

]]>IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Accepting Lunch Reservationshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=35991&blogid=3403
Mrs. Elaine Smith2008-05-23T18:31:26ZYou are invited to dine with us in casual elegance at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. Please join us in celebrating a showcase of contemporary American cuisine prepared and served by academy students.

A truly gourmet experience awaits you at the academy. Because of time and facility restrictions, reservations are required, and café seating will be used. That means you may be seated with other guests to allow us to accommodate more reservations.

Our toll-free number is 877-645-7910. Please do not respond by e-mail. Your dining experience will take longer than one hour. Reservations are available for noon and 12:30 p.m. on the following dates:

May 29, 30

June 2-6, 9, 12, 13, 16-20, 23, 26, 27, 30

July 1-3, 7, 8, 11, 14-18, 21, 22, 25, 28-31

August 1, 4, 5

Because this experience is educationally valuable to our students, friends of the academy are welcome as our guests at no charge. Your server will, however, present a complimentary guest check, and donations are greatly appreciated. A portion of this year’s contributions will be used for student scholarships.

We appreciate your support of the academy and look forward to seeing you.

Albert Wutsch
Department Chair

]]>Baking Buffet Tourshttps://www.iup.edu/templates/news-item.aspx?id=9025&blogid=3403
Interested visiting the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts during the week? Check out our Culinary Admissions Baking Buffet Tours. Classes and individuals alike are welcome. You will tour our state-of-the-art Living and Learning Center and our Kitchen Labs. Along the way, we'll meet and talk with students, faculty and staff]]>Mr. Thaddaeus C. Dachille2007-12-14T16:52:31ZInterested visiting the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts during the week? Check out our Culinary Admissions Baking Buffet Tours. Classes and individuals alike are welcome. You will tour our state-of-the-art Living and Learning Center and our Kitchen Labs. Along the way, we'll meet and talk with students, faculty and staff. Finally, complete your visit with our gourmet Baking Buffet produced by our second-year Baking and Pastry students!